The Solution to the Pain in Your Neck?

Abstract

Record ID: 343

Type: Poster Presentation (in-person)

Advisor: Susan Kotowski

Abstract: In the United States, most of the population spent the majority of their productive time sedentary, while working at a desk. This came as a result of the rise of office work in the late 20th century and has since migrated to remote work upon the isolation practices arising from the COVID pandemic. Low physical activity had been commonly associated with the rise of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases; however musculoskeletal issues due to lack of ergonomic support were overlooked. As the population increased time expenditure on screens through work and media consumption, reports of cervical neck/shoulder pain became more prevalent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an exercise aimed to focus on an intrinsic cervical muscle that is responsible for neck flexion in participants 18-25 that work primarily at a desk. Participants were instructed on how to complete the exercise through a prerecorded video and were asked to complete the exercise four times throughout the day with a survey report of their perceived neck pain, stiffness, and overall fatigue on a scale of 1-10 before, during and after their workday over a 2-week period. Their reported neck pain, stiffness, and overall fatigue during the exercise period was compared to their baseline reported values. The results of this study showed a significant decrease in perceived neck stiffness in the morning following the exercise routine.