Effect Of Short Neck-Stretching Exercise Breaks On Neck Pain And Related Factors In Office Workers

Neck pain

Time Frame: pre and post intervention (12 week)

Numeric pain scale

Neck Disability Index

Time Frame: Pre-post intervention (12 week)

The questionnaire consists of 10 items, each scored from 0 to 5. The total score is interpreted as a percentage, where 0 points or 0% indicates no ac-tivity limitation, and 50 points or 100% indicates complete activity limitation. The NDI is a reliable and valid tool for assessing patients with neck pain, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.50 to 0.98. Patients scoring between 0-4 points (0-8%) are considered to have no disability, 5-14 points (10-28%) mild disability, 15-24 points (30-48%) moderate disability, 25-34 points (50-64%) severe disability, and 35-50 points (70-100%) complete disability

Postural stability

Time Frame: Pre-post intervention (12 week)

Postural stability is assessed using the Biodex Balance System (BBS; Biodex Medical Systems Inc., Shirley, NY, USA), a validated computerized platform widely used to quantify balance performance and neuromuscular control in both healthy and clinical populations. Participants stood barefoot on the dynamic platform, with foot placement standardized by the system to ensure consistency across trials. They were instructed to maintain an upright posture with hands on the hips and to focus on a monitor positioned in front of them, which provided real-time visual feedback, enabling continuous monitoring and voluntary correction of postural sway (Biodex Medical Systems, 2020).Outcome measures automatically recorded by the BBS included the Overall Stability Index), Anterior-Posterior Stability Index, Medial-Lateral Stability Index, Overall Sway Index, Anterior-Posterior Sway Index, Medial-Lateral Sway Index, and Time-in-Zones percentages.

Bilateral Coordination

Time Frame: Pre-post (12 wek)

Bilateral coordination are assessed using the Bilateral Comparison Test module of the Biodex Balance System (BBS), which evaluates static postural sway and interlimb symmetry under controlled conditions \[24, 25\]. Participants performed a single trial consisting of a 10-second single-leg stance on the left leg followed immediately by a 10-second single-leg stance on the right leg. All trials were conducted barefoot, with hands placed on the hips, while the platform remained static to isolate static balance control. The BBS automatically generate the following outcome measures: Overall Left and Right Sway Indices, Overall Interlimb Difference, Anterior-Posterior (A/P) Left and Right Sway Indices, A/P Interlimb Difference, and Medial-Lateral (M/L) Left and Right Sway Indices, as well as M/L Interlimb Difference (Supplementary Figure 2). Lower sway index values indicate better postural stability, reflecting reduced body sway. Smaller interlimb differences indicate greater bilateral symme

Manual dexterity performance (Purdue Pegboard Test)

Time Frame: Pre-post (12 week)

The Purdue Pegboard Test Model #32020A was used to assess unimanual and bimanual finger and hand dexterity performance among office workers with neck pain. This test was recognized as a reliable and valid tool for fine motor skills assessment and can be used for assessment in case of a variety of neurological disorders. The three test batteries were performed: 1) dominant hand; 2) non dominant hand; 3) both hands. The test procedures were performed according to the Purdue Pegboard Test User Instructions. The board was placed on a table in front of the subject comfortably sitting on a chair. The top right and left cups were filled with 25 pins in each to equal a total of 50 pins. Before performing the test the subject was instructed: "This is a test to see how quickly and accurately you can work with your hands. Before you begin each battery of the test, you will be told what to do and then you will have an opportunity to practice. Be sure you understand exactly what to do.

Miotonometry

Time Frame: Pre-post (12 week)

Muscle tone was assessed using a myotonometer. The tone of the upper trapezius muscle was measured with a Myoton PRO device (Myoton AS, Tallinn, Estonia). This method allows for a simple and noninvasive evaluation of the mechanical properties of muscles and demonstrates high reliability, with an intra-rater correlation coefficient ranging from 0.94 to 0.99. Participants were seated on a chair with back support with both hands resting on their thighs and looked straight ahead during the measurements. Measurements were performed on the upper trapezius muscle bilaterally (right and left) at the midpoint of the line connecting the spinous process of the C7 vertebra and the acromion of the scapula. Three biomechanical parameters were recorded: muscle tone (Hz), elasticity (logarithmic decrement), and stiffness (N/m). During the measurement, the skin was preloaded with a force of 0.18 N, followed by five mechanical impulses of 0.4 N applied at 15-second interval