Effects of Chiropractic and Exercise on Wrist Proprioception and Grip Strength in Individuals With Mechanical Neck Pain

"Chiropractic manipulation: Lower cervical chiropractic manipulation is a technique used to increase mobility and relieve pain in the lower vertebrae of the neck. However, such procedures should only be performed by trained chiropractors; if done incorrectly, they can lead to serious problems. The patient should be placed in a comfortable position. The supine or side-lying position is usually preferred. Contact is established with the transverse processes of the lower cervical vertebrae. High-velocity, Low-amplitude thrust is applied within anatomical limits.~As a graduate of Bahcesehir University Chiropractic Masters Degree, I applied chiropractic twice a week for 3 weeks."

Conservative treatment, which is frequently used in the treatment of mechanical neck pain, was planned. A warm-up period was defined with stretching exercises in all areas of neck movement. Again, isometric exercise should be 10 seconds in all directions. In addition to neck and shoulder mobility exercises, neck region posture exercises were included. It was planned to do these exercises for 4 weeks, 5 days a week, in all 4 groups.

The participants of this group will be subjected to wrist range of motion (ROM), stretching and strengthening exercises. Measurements will be made in all axes of motion of the wrist, which are extension, flexion, ulnar and radial deviation. ROM exercises and stretching exercises were applied passively to all axes of motion within anatomical limits. At the last angles of the movement, the individual was forced and stretched without causing discomfort and waited at the last angles for a short time. Stretching exercises were performed five times for each movement. Strengthening exercises for all axes of movement of the wrist will be performed using dumbbells weighing 1 and 2 kilograms and an exercise band suitable for the persons endurance and strength. In exercises performed with dumbbells, all movements of the wrist will be performed against gravity. All applications were applied to the classical hand-wrist exercise group for at least half an hour every day for 4 weeks.

Similar to the classical wrist exercise group, the participants in this group were applied joint range of motion, stretching and strengthening exercises as well as proprioceptive exercises such as joint approximation, traction and mobilization. In addition to all axes of motion of the wrist, active and passive stretching exercises were applied to the forearm flexor and extensor muscles five times each. The resistance and repetition number were gradually increased according to the wrist strength and endurance of the individuals to at least 10 repetitions. Repetitive contraction and rhythmic stabilization techniques were used from proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation methods. Joint approximation technique and taping of forearm flexor and extensor muscles were used to increase the level of contraction and stimulation of joint receptors. External stabilization and perturbation exercises were performed with an exercise ball against the wall at different angles of the upper extremity.