Journal Article

Acute and long‐term effect of specific and non‐specific exercises in patients with chronic neck pain: A protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Broisler, Camila Nepomuceno, Selistre, Luiz Fernando Approbato, Gaban, Giovanna Laura Neves Antonio, Vivaldini, Maria Ramela Schalch, Nunes, Giovanna Silva, Vægter, Henrik Bjarke

2025

Overview

Exercise therapy is the most common approach for people with chronic neck pain (CNP). Although well‐established, it remains unknown which type of exercise is the best for treating this condition. Moreover, pain processing can play a role in the persistence of pain and in the response to interventions. Thus, the aim of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the acute and long‐term effects of two exercise protocols (specific and non‐specific) on pain and pain processing in individuals with CNP. One hundred and ten participants aged between 18 and 65 years who have had non‐specific neck pain for more than 3 months will be recruited. They will be randomized and allocated into two groups (specific exercises and non‐specific exercises) and both groups will perform an exercise programme twice a week for 8 weeks. Both programmes are divided into two progressive and individualized phases. The primary outcomes are change in pain intensity after 8 weeks of exercise and exercise‐induced hypoalgesia, and secondary outcomes are pressure pain threshold, temporal summation of pain, conditioned pain modulation, the Neck Disability Index, the Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Global Perception of Change Scale. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, after 8 weeks of intervention, and at 6‐month follow‐up. What is the central question of this study? Chronic neck pain is the second‐most disabling musculoskeletal condition: how do the acute and long‐term effects of specific and non‐specific exercises for chronic neck pain compare? What is the importance of this work? This is the first randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of acute and long‐term effects of specific and non‐specific exercises on pain intensity and pain processing in chronic neck pain.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Chronic pain / Chronic Pain - physiopathology / Chronic Pain - therapy / Clinical trials / Exercise / Exercise - physiology / exercise therapy / Exercise Therapy - methods / exercise‐induced hypoalgesia / Female / Humans / Male / Middle Aged / Neck / Neck pain / Neck Pain - physiopathology / Neck Pain - therapy / Pain Measurement - methods / Pain perception / Pain Threshold - physiology / Physical activity / Physical fitness / Physical training / Physiology / Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Registered Report Protocol / Treatment Outcome / Young Adult