I have discussed many times treatment for patients who suffer from chronic neck pain because they are high frequency computer users. Whether they are graphic designers, customer service reps, engineers or even bloggers, working on a computer for many hours a day can cause neck muscle pain, stiffness, decrease in mobility and overall pain.
Six Danish investigators report in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism in 2008 a randomized controlled trial of 2 types of physical training on 48 employed women with chronic neck muscle pain. These women suffered from trapezius muscle spasms. The two type of physcial training were:
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[1] Interventions included 10 weeks of
- specific strength training for the affected muscle or
- general fitness training by bicycling with relaxed shoulders, or
- a reference intervention without physical activity.
Specific strength training provided 79% lasting improvements; general fitness training produced only a small and transient reduction in pain. This report shows thats specific neck muscle strength training works to alleviate chronic neck muscle pain.
Source: Andersen, LL; Kjaer, M; Sogaard, K; Hansen, L; Kryger, AI; Sjogaard, G. Effect of two contrasting types of physical exercise on chronic neck muscle pain. Arthritis Rheum. 2008;59:84–91.
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