Journal Menu
By: Hephzibah keren I, Y. Preethi, and S. Bhagyalakshmi.
1 Vice-Principal, Department of Nursing, Aditya college of Nursing, Bengaluru, Karnataka, , India.
2 Associate professor, Department of Nursing, Avishkar college of Nursing, Bengaluru, Karnataka , India.
3 Professor, Department of Nursing, Vydehi Institute of Nursing science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Background: With the rapid growth of computer technology, many professionals now spend long hours at their desks, which has led to a common issue—neck pain. Poor ergonomics, such as improper screen placement and bad posture, contribute significantly to this problem. Neck pain is widespread, affecting between 21% to 75% of computer users globally. In India, the prevalence can be as high as 85%. Isometric exercises, which strengthen neck muscles without altering their length, have been suggested as an effective remedy to reduce this discomfort. Materials and Methods: This study used a quantitative approach to evaluate the impact of isometric exercises on neck pain among computer professionals. Conducted at Tech Parks, Bengaluru, the research followed a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. Sixty computer professionals suffering from neck pain were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection involved two sections: the first gathered demographic details (age, gender, education, etc.), and the second assessed pain levels using a numeric pain rating scale before and after the intervention. The pain levels were categorized into no pain, mild pain, moderate pain, and severe pain. Results: The study revealed a significant improvement in pain levels post-intervention. Before the exercises, 33.33% of participants had severe pain, and 46.67% had moderate pain. After the exercises, no one reported severe pain, and only 16.67% had moderate pain. The proportion of participants with no pain increased to 20% from 3.33%, and those with mild pain rose to 63.33% from 16.67%. The average pain score dropped from 5.13 to 1.96, indicating a substantial reduction in discomfort. Conclusion: The findings suggest that isometric exercises are highly effective in reducing neck pain among computer professionals. Despite variations in factors like gender and working hours, the exercises significantly alleviated pain, improving participants’ overall comfort. Incorporating these exercises into daily routines can be a practical solution for managing and preventing neck pain related to prolonged computer use.
Keywords: Isometric exercises, neck pain, computer professionals, ergonomic intervention, pain reduction
Citation:
Refrences:
1. Kuo YL, Huang KY, Kao CY, Tsai YJ. Sitting Posture during Prolonged Computer Typing with and without a Wearable Biofeedback Sensor. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 May 19;18(10):5430.
2. Green BN. A literature review of neck pain associated with computer use: public health implications. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2008 Aug;52(3):161–7.
3. Dandale C, Telang PA, Kasatwar P. The Effectiveness of Ergonomic Training and Therapeutic Exercise in Chronic Neck Pain in Accountants in the Healthcare System: A Review. Cureus. 15(3):e35762.
4. Louw S, Makwela S, Manas L, Meyer L, Terblanche D, Brink Y. Effectiveness of exercise in office workers with neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. S Afr J Physiother. 2017 Nov 28;73(1):392. doi: 10.4102/sajp.v73i1.392. PMID: 30135909; PMCID: PMC6093121.
5. Sadeghi A, Rostami M, Ameri S, Karimi Moghaddam A, Karimi Moghaddam Z, Zeraatchi A. Effectiveness of isometric exercises on disability and pain of cervical spondylosis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2022 Jun 16;14(1):108. doi: 10.1186/s13102-022-00500-7. PMID: 35710510; PMCID: PMC9205102.
6. Yang J, Yang M, Lin Q, Fu J, Xi R. Effects of isometric training on the treatment of patients with neck pain: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022 Sep 30;101(39):e30864.
7. Kibria MG, Parvez MS, Saha P, Talapatra S. Evaluating the ergonomic deficiencies in computer workstations and investigating their correlation with reported musculoskeletal disorders and visual symptoms among computer users in Bangladeshi university. Heliyon. 2023 Nov 1;9(11):e22179.
8. Kibria MG, Parvez MS, Saha P, Talapatra S. Evaluating the ergonomic deficiencies in computer workstations and investigating their correlation with reported musculoskeletal disorders and visual symptoms among computer users in Bangladeshi university. Heliyon. 2023 Nov 10;9(11):e22179.
9. Gao Y, Chen Z, Chen S, Wang S, Lin J. Risk factors for neck pain in college students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2023 Aug 8;23(1):1502.
10. Khired Z. The Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Neck Pain Among Jazan Adult Population. Cureus. 14(8):e28008.
11. Javaid M, Haleem A, Singh RP, Suman R, Gonzalez ES. Understanding the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in improving environmental sustainability. Sustain Oper Comput. 2022 Jan 1;3:203–17.