Efficacy of OM Chanting and Ardh-Matsyendrasana on Neck Pain Disability and Pressure Pain Threshold in Patients with Mechanical Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background:

This study aimed to assess efficacy of Ardh-Matsyendrasana and OM chanting on neck pain disability and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in mechanical neck pain, compared with conventional “active stretching technique” of neck muscles.

Materials and Methods:

This study was conducted at Amity Physiotherapy OPD, Amity University, Noida (Uttar Pradesh), India, after obtaining ethical clearance from the Institutional Ethical committee. A total of 40 subjects with bilateral mechanical neck pain of subacute duration, ages 18–30 years of both genders who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. These 40 subjects were assigned to two groups: yoga (n = 20) and control (n = 20). For four weeks, the yoga group received Ardh-Matsyendrasana along with OM chanting for 15 minutes followed by 5 minutes of hot packs. The control group received 15 minutes of bilateral active stretching of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM), followed by 5 minutes of the hot pack, for four weeks. Both the groups had preintervention data (baseline) and postintervention data on neck pain and disability parameter with Neck Disability Index (NDI) and PPT measurement bilaterally by digital algometer on SCM.

Results:

More prevalence of female cases (60%) as compared with males (40%) was found in both groups. Paired t-test showed significant improvement in pain-related disability (NDI) in both the yoga group (P < 0.05) and the control group (P < 0.05). Significant improvement for the PPT parameter was found in the yoga group (P < 0.05), as compared with the control group where the result was not significant.

Conclusion:

This randomized controlled study suggested that yoga with OM chanting and active stretching exercise may be used according to patient preference for improving neck-related pain and disability. Ardh-Matsyendrasana along with OM chanting was found to be an effective intervention for improving the tenderness of muscle as compared with the active stretching exercise of neck muscles. Overall, the yoga intervention proved to be more effective in patients with subacute mechanical neck pain. This study was registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI) with the registration number CTRI/2019/01/016985.