| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 物理治療學系 === 105 === Introduction and purpose: Non-specific neck pain is one of the most annoying symptoms among computer users. The prolonged, static, and restrained poor posture may be one of the main problems to cause neck pain during computer works. Thus, to maintain an ideal spinal posture is essential for preventing and reducing symptoms in prolonged computer works. Several interventions of physical therapy were performed in clinical practice to help regain a proper posture. However, the evidences were still limited during prolonged status. Moreover, the studies revealed that the neck pain patients have inability of maintaining posture. Even the asymptomatic people needed some tactile or oral feedback to maintain posture during prolonged sitting. Postural biofeedback had been proved that it can improve prolonged sitting posture and pain among healthy and low back pain patients. However, whether using postural biofeedback is helpful to improve sitting posture, related muscle activity and reduce neck discomfort in neck pain adults associated with prolonged typing is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of real-time postural biofeedback on spinal posture and muscle activity while performing prolonged typing in neck pain and healthy adults. Methods: A total of 42 participants were recruited in this study and 21 who has non-specific neck pain (neck pain group) and 21 are asymptomatic (healthy group). Spinal posture, muscle activity, subjective discomfort and the frequency of biofeedback were recorded while performing a 1-hr typing task under two conditions, with and without postural biofeedback for all participants. Spinal posture was measured using the VICON motion analysis system with 6 cameras and presented in 6 angles including head tilt, neck flexion, upper cervical, lower cervical, upper thoracic and lower thoracic. Muscle activity of bilateral upper trapezius, cervical erector spinae and thoracic erector spinae was measured using the Delsys surface EMG and presented as mean EMG that also was normalized with the EMG of habitual sitting. Mixed model repeated measure ANOVAs were used to assess the differences in spinal posture, muscle activity, subjective discomfort between two groups (neck pain and healthy group), two conditions (with or without postural biofeedback) and over time (every 10 minute in spinal posture and muscle activities; every 15 minute in subjective discomfort). Post hoc analysis was performed as indicated. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to estimate the differences in the frequency of biofeedback between groups. Results: The significantly smaller angles of neck flexion, upper cervical, lower cervical, lower thoracic and reduced bilateral cervical erector spinae and left upper trapezius muscle activity were found in the condition of using postural biofeedback devices. Greater upper thoracic angle and right upper trapezius muscle amplitude were presented in neck pain adults. The subjective discomfort level was increased over time in neck among neck pain adults, in shoulder among both groups. No differences were shown in the frequency of vibration between two groups. Conclusions: Postural biofeedback could help adjust to a more upright and less forward flexion posture, and prevent the bilateral cervical erector spinae and left upper trapezius muscle overloading during prolonged computer works in both neck pain patients and healthy adults. This study supports the use of postural biofeedback for improving posture and reduced muscle activities during prolonged computer works. Further studies should consider assess the effects of using postural biofeedback in neck pain patients with higher severity or investigate its long-term effects on postural correction and pain relief.
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