Effect of Deep Cervical Flexor Muscle Training Using Pressure Biofeedback on Pain and Forward Head Posture in School Teachers with Neck Pain: An Observational Study

BACKGROUND: Teaching is one of the professions where incidence and prevalence of neck pain is high. Prolonged use of computers, which has further increased due to online teaching amid pandemic, is known to cause neck pain and alter posture, while people with forward head posture (FHP) are prone to develop neck pain and related disability. Research has shown that impairment of deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles leads to insufficiency in coordination, activation, overload, and poor support on cervical structures that further lead to development of neck pain and altered neck posture. The objective of this study was to see the effect of DCF muscle training using pressure biofeedback on pain and FHP in school teachers with neck pain. METHODS: This observational study was conducted at medical center in school premises. Fifty-five school teachers aged between 25 and 40 years with experience of more than 5 years were invited to participate in this study. Subjects were divided in two groups. Both the groups received conventional exercises while in experimental group DCF muscle training using pressure biofeedback was given additionally. Pain and FHP were assessed using NPRS and cranio-vertebral angle using digital photograph technique, respectively, at baseline and end of four weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Although pain and FHP improved in both the groups, mean improvement in both the measures was more in the group that also received DCF training using pressure biofeedback. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that although pain and FHP improved following conventional exercises in school teachers with neck pain, mean improvement was more significant among those who received additional DCF muscle training using pressure biofeedback.