Lumbar motor control training as a complementary treatment for chronic neck pain: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: We investigated whether adding lumbar motor control training with a pressure biofeedback unit improves outcomes of a conservative deep cervical flexor motor control program on neck pain, neck disability, deep cervical flexor endurance, and health status in middle-aged patients with chronic neck pain and forward head posture after eight weeks of interventions. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Outpatient setting. Subjects and interventions: A total of 113 males and females (mean age 39 ± 5 years) with chronic neck pain were randomized to three treatment groups, group 1 ( n = 38) combined deep cervical flexor motor-control training and lumbar motor control exercise, group 2 ( n = 37) deep cervical flexor motor control training alone, and group 3 ( n = 38) passive treatment and education. Main outcome measures: Pain, neck disability, deep cervical flexor muscular endurance, and health status. Results: There were significant improvements in the combination group compared with the deep cervical flexor motor-control group alone ( d = 2.03, 95% confidence interval (CI): −2.8 to −1.27, P = 0.021) for pain ( d = −0.99, 95% CI = −1.75 to −0.23, P = 0.023), disability ( d = 1.92, 95% CI = 0.86 to 2.98, P = 0.001), deep cervical flexor endurance, and ( d = −2.75, 95% CI = −8.81 to −1.68, P = 0.037) for health status favoring the combination group. There were significant between-group differences favoring both active groups versus the passive control in all out comes. Conclusion: The addition of Lumbar motor control training as a complementary treatment may enhance effectiveness of deep cervical flexor motor control training on neck pain, neck disability, and deep cervical flexor endurance in patients with chronic moderate neck pain and forward head posture.