Effects Of Global Postural Re-Education (GPR) On Patients With Non-Specific Neck Pain.

Neck pain is a very common clinical condition which equals the economic, social cost and level of disability to that of low back pain.Mechanical neck pain that occurs without an identifiable underlying disease and anatomical abnormality is termed as "non-specific" neck pain (NS-NP).Mechanical neck pain commonly arises insidiously and is generally multifactorial in origin.Two most common complains associated with chronic specific and non-specific neck pain are Kinesiophobia (fear of movement) and Postural asymmetry (forward head posture). Medical, surgical and physical therapy treatments are recommended for addressing chronic non-specific neck pain. Within the scope of physical therapy conventional management consist of many different techniques such as therapeutic exercises, electrotherapy, Pilates, yoga and manual therapy. Manual therapy is among the most common used method for treating musculoskeletal conditions including chronic neck pain. Manual therapy consists of stretching techniques, joint mobilization/manipulation, isometric/dynamic strengthening exercises and fascial manipulation or release. Global Postural Re-education (GPR) is an alternative therapeutic strategy based on the concept that postural muscles are organized in the form of 'muscle chains' located on the anterior and posterior aspect of the spine. It involves the global stretching of the anti-gravitational muscles and the kinetic muscle chains.