MCKENZIE NECK EXERCISE DAN FORWARD HEAD POSTURE EXERCISE DAPAT MENURUNKAN NYERI LEHER MEKANIK PADA PENGGUNA SMARTPHONE

Abstract

Introduction: Mechanical neck pain is a major problem that often complained by smartphone users. It caused by forward head posture position when looking at the smartphone screen. This position not only makes the cervical curve being flatter, it can be overuse on muscles, ligaments, joints, and bones around the neck, especially the posterior neck, the upper back and shoulder, as triggers accumulation of mechanical neck pain. Objective: The purpose of this study was to prove that the McKenzie Neck Exercise and Forward Head Posture Exercise programs are equally effective in reducing mechanical neck pain in smartphone users and there is no difference in effectiveness rate between this two techniques. Method: This is an experimental study using pretest and posttest comparison group design. Total of 22 study subjects, aged 22-28 years, suffered from chronic nonspecific mechanical neck pain, and never had experienced spondylolisthesis, injuries, fractures and hernia nucleus pulposus in the neck area, were recruited to participate in this study. The research subjects were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 was given the McKenzie Neck Exercise program and group 2 was given the Forward Head Posture Exercise program with same duration, 30 minutes per day for 1 week. The measuring instrument that been used to evaluate changes of mechanical neck pain is Northwick Neck Pain Tool. Wilcoxon test was used to compare the results of prestest and posttest of each group, and Mann-Whitney test was used to compare changes of pain between the two groups. Results: The results of this study showed that there was a significant decrease in neck pain (p<0.05) in both groups (3.36±0.50 1.18±0.40 vs. 3.36± 0.50 1.36±0.50). The comparison result of pain reduction showed that there was no significant difference (p 0.44) between group 1 and group 2 (2.18±0.40 vs. 2.00±0.63). Conclusion: McKenzie Neck Exercise and Forward Head Posture Exercise programs are effective to reduce mechanical neck pain in smartphone users with no difference of effectiveness between the both of this techniques.