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Background and Objective: Cervical stabilization training is a method of exercise which is designed to improve the mechanisms by which the cervical spine maintains a stable, injury-free state. The aim of this study was to compare effectiveness of muscle stabilization training with dynamic exercises on the chronic neck pain and disability. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind clinical trail study twenty-six patients with chronic neck pain were recruited. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a stabilization (n=13) or a dynamic exercises group (n=13). Before and after intervention, pain was assessed with visual analog scale (ordinal) and Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPNPQ), disability (ordinal) with Neck Disability Index (NDI), neck muscles strength (bar) using Dynatest and cervical ranges of motion (degrees) with specific neck goniometer. A 24 session exercise program which lasted 12 weeks, two sessions per week, and 45 minutes per session was performed for both groups. Independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U and paired t-test or Wilcoxon were used for comparison between the pretreatment and post treatment test results between groups and within groups, respectively. Results: The mean neck pain (NPNPQ) decreased from 18.23±0.77 to 7.54±4.39 in the stabilization group and from 18.31±3.99 to 11.85±3.89 in the dynamic group (P<0.05). The mean disability (NDI) decreased from 22.69±4.99 to 8.23±4.09 in the stabilization group and from 22.23±4.88 to 14.92±5.54 in the dynamic group (P<0.05). After treatment, neck muscles strength and range of extension increased and both neck pain and disability decreased in the stabilization group compared with the dynamic ones (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between two groups regarding flexors and left lateral flexors strength and ranges of flexion, right and left lateral flexion. Conclusion: This study showed that neck specific stabilization and dynamic exercises increase, range of motion, decrease pain and disability. Also specific stabilization exercies was more useful than dynamic procedure.

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Background and Objective: Muscle size is considered to be a good indicator of muscle function. Previous studies demonstrated a major role for longus colli muscle in cervical spine stabilization. This study was designed to compare muscle size and shape of cervical longus colli muscle between patients with bilateral chronic neck pain and healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: In this case – control study, bilateral ultrasound images of longus colli muscle, 2 centimeters below the thyroid cartilage were taken in 20 subjects (10 males and 10 females) with bilateral chronic neck pain and in 20 healthy subjects during 2008. Cross sectional area (cm2) and muscle shape ratio (ratio between lateral and anterior posterior dimensions) were measured. T- test was used for comparison of cross sectional area and shape ratio of right and left sides between the two groups. Results: In healthy subjects the cross sectional area of longus colli muscle in right and left sides were 0.85±0.11 and 0.86±0.12 respectively which was greater than that of neck pain patients: 0.76±0.11 and 0.68±0.07 respectively (P<0.05). In addition, longus colli muscle shape ratio of healthy subjects in right and left sides was 1.18±0.17 and 1.16±0.19 respectively which was smaller than that of neck pain patients: 1.50±0.25 and 1.50±0.27 respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showd that patients with bilateral chronic neck pain had generally smaller cross sectional area and larger shape ratio of longus colli compared to controls.

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Background and Objective: Neck pain is a prevalent problem negatively affecting individuals’ health and quality of life. Therefore, the present research was conducted to determine the impacts of neck stabilization and thoracic mobility exercises on disability, range of motion, and endurance of females with non-specific chronic neck pain.
Methods: This single-blinded clinical trial was conducted on 36 females with non-specific chronic neck pain in three 12-people groups in the city of Qom. The subjects of the first intervention group (those doing neck stabilization exercises) and the second intervention group (those doing neck stabilization exercises with thoracic mobility) performed the exercises as three 60-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks in the gym, and the control group received a set of corrective exercises. Disability, the neck range of motion, and muscular endurance were measured by the Neck Disability Index (NDI), goniometer and the Progressive Iso-inertial Lifting Evaluation (PILE) test, and biofeedback sphygmomanometer, respectively.
Results: Disability, range of motion, and muscular endurance of the subjects in both intervention groups significantly improved compared to the control group (P<0.05). Compared to the first intervention group, the range of motion and muscular endurance of subjects in the second intervention group showed a significant improvement (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Doing neck stabilization and thoracic mobilization exercises was found to be an influential intervention in the improvement of disability, range of motion, and muscular endurance of females with non-specific chronic neck pain.