Effects of Exercise on Deep Cervical Flexors in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a cranio-cervical flexor exercise is effective at improving the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the longus colli (LC), the absolute rotation angle (ARA) and neck disability index (NDI) of patients with chronic neck pain. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 35 patients who had chronic neck pain. [Methods] The experimental group (n=17) did cranio-cervical flexor exercises and the control group (n=18) did neck isometric exercises. [Results] Paired t-test analysis revealed significant changes in CSA, ARA and NDI within both groups. CSA, ARA and NDI showed significant post-intervention differences between groups. The experimental group showed greater improvement than the control group in CSA of the LC, with a between group difference of 0.07cm2, in ARA, with a between group difference of 0.39 degree, and in NDI, with a between group difference of 3.47 points. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the cranio-cervical flexor exercise was more effective at enhancing CSA, ARA and treating functional disabilities.