PICO
Patient/Population
Chronic neck pain
(n=49)
Intervention
- Interferential C. + Exercise
- Exercise
Comparison
- Interferential C. + Exercise
- Exercise
Outcomes
- Pain
- Neck disability
Translatability (3/3) Easy
Comments: IC + therapeutic exercise is clinically more effective than therapeutic exercise alone to improve neck pain and disability, but not active cervical ROM.
Limitations: ↓ sample size; no IC sham control group; differed session duration between and total session duration; pain self-reported unidimensional scale.
Appraisals:
PEDro Scale – (8/10) Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No. (by PEDro – confirmed)
CEBMa CAT – The study contains no serius weaknesses. Based on this result you should conclude that the trustworthiness of the study is high (90%). This means there is a 10% chance that alternative explanations for the effect found are possible. The effect size was large and 95% CI was OK. (by CAT for RCTS)
BTB
Intervention – 1
- IC – 4000 Hz.
Dose
- 60 Hz AMF, 90 Hz of sweep modulation frequency.
- Amplitude – individual tolerance, to “pins-and-needles” sensation, no visible muscle twitches.
Periodicity
- 5 times a week for 2 weeks
Local/Technic:
9 x 5 cm adhesive electrodes, 3 cm below the transverse processes of C5 and at both sides of the transverse processes of C7.
Intervention – 2
- Exercise
Dose
- 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions.
- The duration of the exercise therapy was progressively
increased (from 25 min the first 2 sessions, up to 45 min during the last sessions).
Periodicity
- 5 times a week for 2 weeks
Local/Technic:
1 – fist two sessions – active bilateral stretching of the upper trapezius, elevator scapulae, scalene, and sternocleidomastoid muscles, + educational and postural advice to manage their pain.
2 – From the 3rd session on, 1 + strengthening exercises (3 to 10 seconds old) of the same neck-shoulder muscles (isometric and eccentric training) + Functional neck movements in different directions, together with oculomotor training (e.g., saccadic eye movements; and smooth pursuit exercises).
Citation:
Albornoz-Cabello, M., Barrios-Quinta, C. J., Espejo-Antúnez, L., Escobio-Prieto, I., Casuso-Holgado, M. J., & Heredia-Rizo, A. M. (2021). Immediate clinical benefits of combining therapeutic exercise and interferential therapy in adults with chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled trial. European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine, 10.23736/S1973-9087.21.06688-0. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.23736/S1973-9087.21.06688-0