Neuromuscular Technique for Chronic Neck Pain

During a ten-week clinical trial involving 40 patients with mechanical neck pain, those treated with a combination of therapeutic exercise and a manual therapy technique to reduce trigger points experienced greater improvements in neck muscle strength and endurance than participants in a therapeutic exercise-only group. This finding is important as the deep neck muscles are typically deconditioned in patients with mechanical neck pain and improving neck muscle strength and endurance is important for reducing pain, disability, and the risk for future episodes of neck pain. Doctors of chiropractic often use a combination of manual therapy techniques and exercise to treat patients with both acute and chronic neck pain. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, July 2019