Investigation of the relationship between wearing glasses and deep cervical flexor endurance in patients with non-specific neck pain

Aim: The aims of this study: 1) to determine postural changes according to wearing glassess and relationship between these changes and deep cervical flexor muscle group, 2) to investigate effectiveness of endurance training on postural changes and deep cervical flexor muscles.Methods: Our study is placed between 01. 11. 2007 - 01. 07. 2008 at Dokuz Eylül University School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. 73 patients who had neck pain and were suggested exercise therapy in physiotherapy programme participated in this study and divided into two groups. 38 patients that wear glasses entered the experimental group and 35 patients that not wear glasses entered the control group. Individual characteristics and score of disability index of all subjects were noted before and after treatment. Deep cervical flexor endurance test was performed. For measurement of postural variables in servical region the reflective markers were attached to the anatomical landmarks of the body and gaze, head and neck angles were counted using `Screen Scale For Measurements Scale 20? program. Both of the two groups were included in endurance training for 6 weeks added their physiotherapy session.Results: When the results of before treatment compared endurance levels were found to be lower in experimental group (p<0,05). When the results after treatment compared endurance levels were found to be improved more significantly, and score of disability index and rest pain was found to be decreased more significantly in control group (p<0,05). Activity pain was found to be decreased in both groups but there were no significant differences between groups (p>0,05). Also there were no significant differences between gaze, head and neck angles in both groups (p>0,05).Conclusion: As a result it was seen that wearing glasses affected endurance of deep neck flexor muscles negatively and it was not found relationship between postural angles and endurance of deep cervical flexor muscles. Also it was observed that endurance training for 6 weeks hadn?t affected postural angles but enhanced performance of deep cervical flexor muscles significantly.Key Words: Non-specific neck pain, endurance training, wearing glasses