Characteristics of health-related physical fitness of patients with chronic neck pain / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of health-related physical fitness of patients with chronic neck pain, and the relationship between neck pain and physical fitness. MethodsFrom Match to June, 2020, 30 healthy controls and 30 patients with chronic neck pain in Dalian University of Technology were included. They were assessed with Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Visual Analog Scale for pain (VAS). The body composition, grip strength (dominant), shoulder joint flexibility, cardiopulmonary endurance and neck muscle endurance of all the participants were measured. ResultsThe content of standardized subcutaneous fat was more, and the trunk muscle content was less in the patients than in the healthy controls, while the standardized grip strength, endurance of neck flexor and extensor, right shoulder flexibility, absolute maximum oxygen uptake were all poorer (|t| > 2.088, P < 0.05). The score of VAS correlated (P < 0.05) with the score of NDI score (r = 0.407), grip strength (r = -0.406), endurance of neck extensor (r = -0.384), right shoulder joint flexibility (r = -0.551) and absolute value of maximal oxygen uptake (r = -0.510). ConclusionHealth-related physical fitness has been impaired for patients with chronic neck pain, and correlates with the intensity of pain.