Physiotherapeutic approach in seamstresses with neck pain: A single-blind, randomized clinical trial

Purpose: To investigate and compare the effects of therapeutic exercise, therapeutic ultrasound and photobiomodulation on pain, functionality and recruitment pattern of motor units, after a rehabilitation protocol for seamstresses with neck pain. Materials and methods: All 36 female, randomly divided into three groups; i)exercise control group, ii) exercise and photobiomodulation group, iii)exercise and ultrasound group. The groups were composed of sewing machine operators with complaints neck pain. Clinical evaluations: Visual analog pain scale, questionnaires Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and electromyographic evaluations of the sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius muscles. All variables were compared before and after the protocol. For statistical analysis, the values of mean, standard deviation and standard error of the mean were used. The values obtained were compared using the One-Way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey, and Cohen's-d, with a significance coefficient of p < 0.05. Results: In the Ultrasound and laser groups there was a greater tendency to improve pain (p < 0.0001) and size of the effect on pain reduction (ultrasound = d:1.99; photobiomodulation = d:1.81). Between groups, there was a significant difference in post-treatment for the onset of right trapezius (p = 0.024) in the exercise and photobiomodulation groups (p = 0.0347). The photobiomodulation group showed pre and post-intervention differences in the left trapezius maximum onset (p = 0.010). Conclusion: Interventions with photobiomodulation, ultrasound, and exercise assist to pain, function, and muscular activation in seamstresses with neck pain.