Resumo do estudo

20 office workers with chronic neck pain were randomized to receive 4 weeks of extracorporeal shockwave therapy plus sling exercise (n=10) or sling exercise alone (n=10). The outcomes of interest included neck disability, range of motion, posture, paraspinal muscle strength, and spinal alignment, all assessed upon completion of the 4-week intervention program. The improvement from baseline in all outcomes was significantly greater in the combination group vs. the sling exercise-only group. The results of this study suggest that combining shockwave therapy with a rehabilitation exercise program can enhance clinical improvement for patients with chronic neck pain. However, given the small sample size and imbalance in several of the outcomes at baseline, a larger trial is required to confirm the results of this study.