title: Physical dose of therapeutic exercises in institutional neck rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the intensity and volume of therapeutic exercises during a standard 13-day inpatient neck rehabilitation course in relation to overall physical activity in rehabilitation and everyday life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (n = 19; 16 women and 3 men; mean age 48.6 years, standard deviation (SD) 6.6) with chronic non-specific neck pain were recruited from two inpatient neck rehabilitation courses. Intensity and volume of therapeutic exercises and physical activity were measured in metabolic equivalents (METs) with an objective measurement device and all-time recall questionnaire. Maximum oxygen uptake was determined in METs (METc) by direct maximal cycle ergometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects' mean METc was 7.2 METs (SD 1.4) or 25.3 ml/kg/min (SD 4.8). Intensity of all therapeutic exercises was 1.9 METs or 27 %METc (SD 5.1) and volume 7.7 MET-hours/week. Intensity of specific neck and shoulder exercises was 2.0 METs or 28 %METc (SD 5.4) and volume 2.5 MET-hours/week. In addition, subjects were more active in everyday life than in inpatient rehabilitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The therapeutic exercise dose failed to reach previously reported target values for pain relief. The dose of therapeutic exercises and confounding physical activity should be carefully controlled in pain rehabilitation programmes.
authors: Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. niko.wasenius@helsinki.fi
authors: Niko
authors: N
authors: Wasenius
authors: Teppo
authors: T
authors: Karapalo
authors: Tuulikki
authors: T
authors: Sjögren
authors: Mika
authors: M
authors: Pekkonen
authors: Esko
authors: E
authors: Mälkiä
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055686:Metabolic Equivalent; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen