Assessment of pain, cervical mobility and electromyographic activity of the trapezius muscle in nonspecific neck pain patients pre- and post acupuncture treatment: a cross-over, controlled and randomized blind study

Abstract

Nonspecific neck pain (CI), can provide great personal suffering as having a possible consequence, disability and reduced quality of life and work productivity, and generate high socioeconomic costs to patients and society. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate pain, neck mobility and electromyographic activity (EMG) of the trapezius muscle fibers descendants (PDT) in patients with IC before and after acupuncture. The study will consist of 12 subjects with CI (GCI), initially diagnosed by the Neck Disability Index validated for the Portuguese language and exhibiting myofascial pain and tension in the muscle PDT and 12 healthy individuals (GIS). This study will be used the design of cross-over, where volunteers from each group will receive treatment with traditional ACP and placebo. Individuals in the GCI possible effects of ACP will be checked by Verbal Numerical Pain Scale, algometry and by measuring the area of pain, obtained by scanning areas of the body, previously painted by the volunteers in a standard figure. The motor control and muscle fatigue TFD will be verified by the use of electromyography (EMG) surface in the two experimental conditions (clinical and placebo). All dependent variables are obtained in two stages: pre and post treatment with ACP. The significance level adopted will be p <0.05. (AU)