Alternative Medicine Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Alternative Medicine, including details on complementary medicine, alternative therapies, homeopathy. | ||||||||
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Stretching exercises vs manual therapy in treatment of chronic neck pain: a randomized, controlled cross-over trial.Ylinen J, Kautiainen H, Wirén K, Häkkinen A Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Jyväskylä Central Hospital, Keskussairaalantie 19, Jyväskylä, Finland. jari.ylinen@ksshp.fi OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of manual therapy and stretching exercise on neck pain and disability. DESIGN: An examiner-blinded randomized cross-over trial. Patients: A total of 125 women with non-specific neck pain. METHODS: Patients were randomized into 2 groups. Group 1 received manual therapy twice weekly and Group 2 performed stretching exercises 5 times a week. After 4 weeks the treatments were changed. The follow-up times were after 4 and 12 weeks. Neck pain (visual analogue scale) and disability indices were measured. RESULTS: Mean value (standard deviation) for neck pain was 50 mm (22) and 49 mm (19) at baseline in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively, and decreased during the first 4 weeks by 26 mm (95% Confidence Interval 20-33) and 19 mm (12-27), respectively. There was no significant difference between groups. Neck and shoulder pain and disability index decreased significantly more in Group 1 after manual therapy (p=0.01) as well as neck stiffness (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Both stretching exercise and manual therapy considerably decreased neck pain and disability in women with non-specific neck pain. The difference in effectiveness between the 2 treatments was minor. Low-cost stretching exercises can be recommended in the first instance as an appropriate therapy intervention to relieve pain, at least in the short-term. Published 12 March 2007 in J Rehabil Med, 39(2): 126-32.
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