The Effect of Exercise on Pain Sensitivity in a Population With Ongoing Neck Pain Compared to Healthy Controls

• Conditions: Neck Pain; Healthy
• Interventions: Other: Exercise

• Registration Number: NCT03992495
• Lead Sponsor: Aalborg University

Brief Summary

This study investigates the effect of exercise on pain sensitivity in ongoing neck pain patients compared to a healthy control group.

Detailed Description

Increased pain sensitivity is a common finding in neck pain patients when compared to healthy controls. Although most studies favor exercise as an intervention, the specific effect on pain sensitivity is still debated. This study will investigate the effect of exercise on pain sensitivity in neck pain patients compared to healthy controls

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2019-06
• Study First Submitted: 2019-06-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-06-19
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-06-19
• Study Start: 2019-06-20
• Study First Posted: 2019-06-20
• Last Update Posted: 2019-06-20
• Primary Completion: 2020-10
• Study Completion: 2021-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 46

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy participants

• Pain free healthy participants
• Able to speak, read and understand Danish and English

Exclusion Criteria

• Healthy participants

• Pain from the neck or shoulder area during the past 6 months
• Experience of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) during the week leading up to the test session
• Former surgery in neck or shoulder
• Current or previous chronic or recurrent pain condition
• Pregnancy
• Drug addiction defined as the use of cannabis, opioids or other drugs
• Previous neurologic, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses
• Regular use of analgesics
• Abnormally disrupted sleep in the last 24 hours preceding the experiment
• Lack of ability to cooperate

Inclusion Criteria: - Neck pain population

• Self reported neck pain lasting three months or longer.
• Able to speak, read and understand Danish and English
• Reduced/painful active range of motion of the head and/or painful reaction to palpation of the neck at the time of inclusion

Exclusion Criteria: - Neck pain population

• Shoulder pain during arm movements
• Experience of DOMS during the week leading up to the test session
• Former surgery in neck or shoulder
• Current or previous chronic or recurrent pain condition other than neck pain
• Pregnancy
• Drug addiction defined as the use of cannabis, opioids or other drugs
• Previous neurologic, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses
• Abnormally disrupted sleep in the 24 hours preceding the experiment
• Lack of ability to cooperate

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Healthy	Exercise	Participants with no significant past neck pain, chronic pain or other relevant medical disorders.
Neck pain	Exercise	People suffering from neck pain at the time of recruitment

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in pain sensitivity	Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks	Pain sensitivity will be estimated by determining the pressure pain threshold (PPT) on the neck before and after exercise

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in perceived pain	Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks	Pain will be scored using a scale from 0-10 with 0 being no pain and 10 being worst imaginable pain and by drawing perceived painful areas on a body charts
Change in disability	Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks	Disability will be estimated by scoring the Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire. The questionnaire is designed to help express how neck pain affects your ability to manage everyday activities.(Domains: pain intensity, personal care, lifting, reading, headache, concentration, work, driving, sleeping, recreation). Higher score = high level of disability