title: Isometric Exercise for the Cervical Extensors Can Help Restore Physiological Lordosis and Reduce Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether isometric neck extension exercise restores physiological cervical lordosis and reduces pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five patients with loss of cervical lordosis were randomly assigned to exercise (27 women, 7 men; mean age, 32.82 ± 8.83 yrs) and control (26 women, 5 men; mean age, 33.48 ± 9.67 yrs) groups. Both groups received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 10 days. The exercise group received additional therapy as a home exercise program, which consisted of isometric neck extension for 3 mos. Neck pain severity and cervical lordosis were measured at baseline and at 3 mos after baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with baseline levels, cervical lordosis angle was significantly improved in the exercise group (P < 0.001) but not in the control group (P = 0.371) at the end of 3 mos. Moreover, the exercise group was significantly superior to the control group considering the number of patients in whom cervical lordosis angle returned to physiological conditions (85.2% vs. 22.5%; P < 0.001). At the end of 3 mos, pain intensity was significantly reduced in both groups compared with baseline levels (for all, P < 0.001). Nevertheless, considering the change from baseline to month 3, the reduction in pain was about twice in the exercise group compared with the control group (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Isometric neck extension exercise improves cervical lordosis and pain.
authors.affiliation: From the Yuzuncu Yil University Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alpayci
authors.forename: Server
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: İlter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008141:Lordosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome