Sub-clinical Neck Symptoms, Disability, Posture, and Muscle Function in Computer Users, and the Effect of Education versus Education and Deep Cervical Flexor Exercise

  • Donna Lynne Skelly

Student thesis: Doctoral ThesisDoctor of Philosophy

Abstract

Purpose: 1, to determine effect of education and exercise on neck pain, disability, cervical posture and muscle function in office workers with sub-clinical neck symptoms; 2, to determine differences in forward head posture in preferred and standardized posture, and 3, to explore the influence of time on work posture in a sub-group of office workers. Subjects: Sixty-six office workers with sub-clinical neck symptoms who utilize computers at least 4 hours per day participated. A sub-group of 27 were videotaped to assess posture over a workday. Methods: Videotaping was performed 15 minutes of the first and last hour of the workday for analysis of the craniovertebral angle. Cervical posture using the CROM was measured on all subjects in standardized and preferred positioning of the trunk and lower extremities. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: education only (EOG), education and exercise (EEG), or control (CG). Pre and post-test measurements of pain (Visual Analog Scale), disability (NeckDisability Index), forward head posture (FHP), and deep cervical flexor muscle function (Craniocervical Flexion Test and Short Neck Flexor Endurance Test) were assessed for change within group as well as differences between groups over the 8 week period. Results: No difference was found for FHP over 8 hours in the subgroup. FHP was greater in preferred position compared to standardized by 7.59 mm (95% CI 6.27-8.92, p
Date of AwardMay 17 2016
Original languageEnglish
SupervisorLeah Nof (Supervisor)

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