Effect of adding motor imagery training to neck stabilization exercises on pain, disability and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic neck pain

Abstract

Purpose: The investigation of this study was to compare the effect of adding motor imagery training to neck stabilization exercises on pain, disability, and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic neck pain.

Material and methods: After screening, seventy-two volunteers with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to 3 groups: neck stabilization exercises alone, n = 24, combined ( neck stabilization exercises + motor imagery training), n = 24, and a control group, n = 24. Pain intensity, disability, and kinesiophobia before and after the intervention exercises were measured by the Visual Analog Scale, Neck Disability Index, and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia , respectively.

Results: Statistically significant differences in pain intensity, the neck disability index, and kinesiophobia were found when a combined intervention group including neck stabilization and motor imagery training was compared with neck stabilization training alone at 6 weeks ) p ≤ 0.005). Also, there were significant between-group differences favoring experimental groups versus control for all outcomes (p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion: neck stabilization exercises in combination with motor imagery training was superior to neck stabilization exercises alone in decreasing pain, disability, and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic neck pain.

Keywords: Chronic neck pain; Motor imagery; Neck stabilization exercise; Therapeutic exercises.