Abdelmegeed, M., Shewail, F., Abdelmajeed, S., Farouk, M. (2022). Relationship between Pain, Function, and Pressure Algometry in College Students with Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain. The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 89(2), 6323-6328. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.269780
Mohamed Abdelmegeed; Fatma Shewail; Salwa Abdelmajeed; Mohamed Farouk. "Relationship between Pain, Function, and Pressure Algometry in College Students with Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain". The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 89, 2, 2022, 6323-6328. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.269780
Abdelmegeed, M., Shewail, F., Abdelmajeed, S., Farouk, M. (2022). 'Relationship between Pain, Function, and Pressure Algometry in College Students with Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain', The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 89(2), pp. 6323-6328. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.269780
Abdelmegeed, M., Shewail, F., Abdelmajeed, S., Farouk, M. Relationship between Pain, Function, and Pressure Algometry in College Students with Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain. The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 2022; 89(2): 6323-6328. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.269780
Relationship between Pain, Function, and Pressure Algometry in College Students with Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain
Orthopedic physical therapy department, Faculty of physical therapy, Cairo University
Abstract
Backgrounds: Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain (CMNP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder. The “new normal” during the Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) lockdown has forced schools to shift to online classes as a mitigation strategy. Objectives: This study aimed to correlate pain, function, and pain pressure threshold (PPT) in college students with chronic mechanical neck pain. Patients and Methods: Thirty-three college students with a mean age of 21.33 ± 0.98 who were diagnosed with CMNP. They were using online learning for more than three months during the COVID-19 lockdown. These students were recruited from outpatient settings. The investigators measured their pain intensity using the visual analogue scale (VAS), functional disability using the neck disability index (NDI), and PPT using a pressure algometer (PA). A correlation analysis was conducted between these outcome measures using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: There was a direct significant relationship between VAS and NDI scores (p < 0.05), while there was no significant correlation between pain pressure threshold, VAS, and NDI scores (p > 0.05). Also, there was a significant difference between males and females in NDI scores with a mean score of 23.0 ± 1.41 in males versus 32.6 ± 4.69 in females (p < 0.01). While there was no significant difference between both gender in the scores of VAS and pain pressure threshold (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The presence of pain in the neck significantly correlates with decreased function. While the presence of tight muscles and/or trigger points may not correlate with pain intensity or functional disability in college students with chronic mechanical neck pain.