Motor imagery and action observation of specific neck therapeutic exercises induced hypoalgesia in patients with chronic neck pain : a randomized single-blind placebo trial

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the pain modulation effects of motor imagery(MI) and action observation (AO) of specific neck therapeutic exercises both locally, in the cervicalregion, and remotely. A single-blind, placebo clinical trial was designed. A total of 30 patients withchronic neck pain (CNP) were randomly assigned to an AO group, MI group, or placebo observation(PO) group. Pain pressure thresholds (PPTs) of C2/C3, trapezius muscles, and epicondyle werethe main outcome variables. Secondary outcomes included heart rate measurement. Statistically significant differences were observed in PPTs of the cervical region in the AO and MI groups betweenthe preintervention and first postintervention assessment. Significant differences were found inthe AO group in the epicondyle between the preintervention, first and second post-intervention assessments. Regarding heart rate response, differences were found in the AO and MI groups betweenthe preintervention and average intervention measurements. AO and MI induce immediate painmodulation in the cervical region and AO also induces remote hypoalgesia. OA appears to lead togreater pain modulation as well as a greater heart rate response, however, both should be clinicallyconsidered in patients with CNP.