title: Neck balance system in the treatment of chronic mechanical neck pain: a prospective randomized controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic mechanical neck pain (MNP) is a very common condition, that may occur in general population. There is a lack of evidence for most therapies except for exercise therapy with combining methods, whose effectiveness is still moderate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a novel neck balance system-Dal Monte 2(NBS-DM2) incorporated into a special cap on pain in sufferers of MNP after treatment and at three months follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinic of the University of Rome "Foro Italico".
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five volunteers of both sexes affected by grade II MNP were enrolled.
  
  
  METHODS
  NBS-DM2/RW (regular weight), NBS-DM2/NW (negligible weight) and Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) have been used for 8 weeks. Neck Disability Index (NDI), Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NDPS) questionnaires and Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) score were evaluated before, after the treatment period and 3 months after the end of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NBS-DM2/RW compared with NBS-DM2/NW and PEMF group performed better in the reduction of the three measures at the end and at short term run (p ≤ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When applied to grade II MNP patients, NBS-DM2/RW leads to pain relief and reduction of disability. These effects persist over a short term follow-up period. PEMF therapy was found to have no significant effect on reduction of pain and disability in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy. agiombini@tiscali.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giombini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cesare
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quaranta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cagno
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pigozzi
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Saraceni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004856:Postural Balance; D011446:Prospective Studies