Investigation of the effects of cervical stabilization training on individuals with headache

This study was planned to examine the effects of cervical stabilization training on individuals with headache. The study included 90 patients with migraine, tension type headache (TTH) and cervicogenic headache (CGH). The patients were randomly divided into two groups as cervical stabilization group (n = 45) and control group (n = 45). Training was applied to the cervical stabilization group 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Head and neck pain of the patients with Vizuel Analog Scale, forward head posture with craniovertebral angle evaluation, cervical joint range of motion with CROM device, activation and endurance of deep cervical flexor muscles with Craniocervical Flexion Test (CSFT), endurance of general cervical muscles cervical flexor and extensor endurance tests, disability levels due to headache were measured with the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) and disability levels due to neck pain with the Neck Disability Index (NDI), quality of life with the Short Form 36 Quality of Life Scale (SF-36), sleep quality with Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and mood with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was evaluated. At the end of the study, in the cervical stabilization group, headache frequency, duration and severity, neck pain severity, number of drugs used, craniovertebral angle, cervical joint range of motion in all directions, CSFT, cervical flexor and extensor endurance tests, MIDAS, NDI, SF-36, PSQI and BDI results improved (p <0.05). In the control group, improvement was observed in the craniovertebral angle, flexion and left rotation directions in the evaluation of cervical joint range of motion, NDI, PSQI and BDI scores (p <0.05). However, it was observed that the changes in the control group were less than in the cervical stabilization group (p <0.05). Consequently, it has been determined that cervical stabilization training improves cervical muscle functions in patients with migraine, TTH and CGH, and as a result of this, it provides improvement in head and neck pain, cervical posture, disability level, quality of life, sleep quality and mood. We think that this information and results can be an effective treatment method of cervical stabilization training in patients with headache and will guide physiotherapists working in this field.