Chronic computer-related neck pain is common among office workers. In this study, researchers randomly selected 109 female office workers with chronic neck pain to perform either progressive resistance training (PRT), fixed resistance training (FRT), or no exercise to act as a control group (CG). Those in the exercise groups performed four exercises targeting the neck muscles with an elastic rubber band on a regular basis for six weeks. The investigators found that outcomes (pain levels, pain threshold, and neck strength) were significantly better in the PRT and FRT groups than in the control group both immediately after the six weeks of training and three months later. The study suggests that women with work-related neck pain may benefit from neck exercises. Chiropractic care for neck pain often includes specific neck exercises to help reduce pain and improve mobility and function.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, May 2017