Mechanical Neck Pain Case Study

Neck pain is a common occurrence affecting 10% of general population at least once during their lifetime(1). The occurrence rate of neck pain is 50-70% among individuals and 5 years after the onset of symptoms approximately 60% of patients experience chronic pain which lead to severe disability(2,3).Mechanical neck pain is a common classification of neck pain also called non- specific neck pain without specific underlying cause(4).Mechanical neck pain is defined as generalized pain in cervical spine or shoulder area with musculoskeletal and functional symptoms( e.g. decreased ROM, decreased work tolerance, impaired muscle coordination, stiff joint , pain and tenderness in neck region) exacerbated by neck postures, neck movement, or palpation of cervical muscles(5)(6).Mechanical neck pain affects 30-50% of both male and female at any given times leading to muscular, joint and neural impairments(7)(8).

Incidence of neck pain is more common in people who spend much of their working day at a desk with a forward bent posture(9).The symptoms of mechanical neck pain are likewhiplash associated disorders but there is no traumatic involvement.Symptoms for grade 1 are pain,tenderness, stiffness in the neck and for grade 2 are decreased range of motion,functional impairments, reduced muscle strength and endurance and tender spots(10). Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and cervical joint dysfunction can be involved in pain processes in patients with mechanical neck pain(11).Manual therapies including soft tissue therapies, spinal manipulation/mobilization and TrP treatment are commonly used in the management of mechanical neck pain and associated