title: Effect of a stress management program on subjects with neck pain: A pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Studies have shown that stress is implicated in the cause of neck pain (NP).
  The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of a simple, zero cost stress management program on patients suffering from NP.
  This study is a parallel-type randomized clinical study. People suffering from chronic non-specific NP were chosen randomly to participate in an eight week duration program of stress management (N= 28) (including diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation) or in a no intervention control condition (N= 25). Self-report measures were used for the evaluation of various variables at the beginning and at the end of the eight-week monitoring period. Descriptive and inferential statistic methods were used for the statistical analysis.
  At the end of the monitoring period, the intervention group showed a statistically significant reduction of stress and anxiety (p= 0.03, p= 0.01), report of stress related symptoms (p= 0.003), percentage of disability due to NP (p= 0.000) and NP intensity (p= 0.002). At the same time, daily routine satisfaction levels were elevated (p= 0.019). No statistically significant difference was observed in cortisol measurements.
  Stress management has positive effects on NP patients.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Damianos T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Metikaridis
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, School of Health Sciences, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hadjipavlou
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Artemios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Artemiadis
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.|First Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Aghia Sofia, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.|Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Chrousos
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.|Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Darviri
keywords: Neck pain; autogenic training; guided imagery; muscle relaxation; relaxation techniques; stress