Specific Strength Training Helpful for Neck Muscle Pain
From: Arthritis Care Res. 2008;59:84-91.
This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effects of specific strength training targeted to the affected muscle and general fitness training on acute and prolonged neck muscle pain, aerobic fitness, and muscle strength in adults with trapezius myalgia.
Specific strength training was associated with a marked decrease in neck muscle pain during training and with a lasting effect after the training ended.
Strength Training Helpful for Neck Muscle Pain Notes
- In adults with neck muscle pain, specific strength training leads to prolonged relief of pain, whereas general fitness training leads to transient acute relief of pain.
- In adults with neck muscle pain, specific strength training increases isometric muscle strength and general fitness training increases aerobic fitness.
Specific Strength Training Helpful for Neck Muscle Pain Highlights
- Inclusion criteria were neck pain for more than 30 days in the past year but no more than 3 areas of pain, pain of at least 3 (”quite a lot”) of 5 (”very much”), pain at least once a week, and pain of at least 2 on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 9 (worst imaginable pain).
- Exclusion criteria were previous injuries, life-threatening diseases, cardiovascular diseases, or neck and shoulder arthritis.
- 48 adults who met inclusion criteria were diagnosed with trapezius myalgia (neck pain, trapezius muscle tightness, and tenderness).
- 18 adults in the specific strength training group performed 3 of 5 different neck and shoulder muscle exercises for 20 minutes 3 times a week for 10 weeks (mean number of sessions, 26).
- 16 adults in the general fitness training group performed leg bicycling with relaxed shoulders for 20 minutes 3 times a week for 10 weeks (mean number of sessions, 25).
- Primary outcome measure of pain intensity was rated on a VAS, from 0 (no pain) to 100 mm (worst possible pain) at each training session: general and worst pain since the previous session, pain before and immediately after the present session, and pain 2 hours after the present session.
- Prolonged effect on pain was based on general and worst pain since the previous session in a 10-week intervention period and general and worst pain in prior week once a week for 10 weeks after the postintervention test.
- Acute effect on pain was based on difference in pain before and immediately after a session and difference in pain before and 2 hours after a session for training sessions 1 to 15 and 16 to 30.
- Prolonged pain in the 10-week intervention period improved by 35 mm for worst pain and 20 mm for general pain in the specific strength training but not for the general fitness training or control group.
- Prolonged pain in the 10-week postintervention period did not change for any group, but pain level for the specific strength training group was less than pain for the general fitness training and control groups.
- Acute pain decreased for the general fitness training group during sessions 1 to 15 and 16 to 30.
- Acute pain increased for the specific strength training group during sessions 1 to 15 but not for sessions 16 to 30.
- Pain levels 2 hours after session were similar to pretraining pain levels for the general fitness training and specific strength training groups.
- Aerobic fitness, measured by maximal oxygen uptake, improved 21% in a 10-week period for the general fitness training but not for the specific strength training or control group.
- Muscle strength improved in the specific strength training group for shoulder elevation but not for the general fitness or control group.
The prevalence of neck muscle pain has steadily increased and especially pain from the descending part of the trapezius muscle has been associated with monotonous work tasks such as computer work.
Specific strength training had high clinical relevance and led to marked prolonged relief in neck muscle pain. General fitness training showed only a small yet statistically significant acute pain reduction.
Based on the results, dynamic strength training of the painful neck muscle 3 times a week for 20 minutes should be recommended in the treatment of trapezius myalgia.
