The efficacy of sling exercise combined with extracorporeal shock wave on office workers with chronic neck pain

This study aimed to investigate the effect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy on the anterior surface line of the fascia meridian, including the oblique muscle, combined with sling exercise, on the stability of the spine in the neck disability index (NDI), neck joint range of motion (ROM), craniovertebral angle, neck alignment, and posture control. A total of 20 office workers with chronic neck pain were randomly assigned to an experimental group that combined extracorporeal shock wave therapy and sling exercise (n = 10) and a control group (CG) consisting of sling exercise (n = 10) performed twice weekly for 4 weeks. All subjects were evaluated using the NDI, ROM, neck alignment, and spine stability tests. Following the intervention, there were significant differences in the For example, NDI, craniovertebral angle, Cobb’s angle, Centaur data, and ROM. Except for Cobb’s angle and Centaur data (−90 degrees), all variables showed significant differences in the CG. Comparing changes before and after the intervention, The For example, showed significantly more significant changes in all variables than the CG. The combination of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and sling exercises improved NDI, ROM, and neck and spine alignment in office workers with chronic neck pain more effectively than the sling exercise alone. This study could be recommended as a new approach to enable individuals with chronic neck pain to perform better.