Efficacy of strengthening exercises and endurance exercises for neck muscles in reducing pain and disability in patients with mechanical neck pain – A Comparative Study.

INTRODUCTION: Neck pain is common condition of the cervical spine which occurs when there is a change in the normative physiologic and anatomic state. Pain is defined as a sensation characterized by a group of unpleasant perceptual and emotional experience that triggers autonomic, psychologic, and somatomotor responses associated with actual or potential damage to the tissues. Mechanical neck pain may be defined as pain secondary to overuse of normal anatomic structure or pain secondary to injury or deformity of anatomic structure. Neck pain is considered to be chronic if it lasts for more than 3 months of duration and pain that continues after the stimulus has removed or the tissue damage heals. Mechanical neck pain is becoming increasingly prevalent in society estimations indicated that 67% of individuals will suffer neck pain at some stage throughout life. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to evaluate the effect of isometric neck muscle strengthening exercises and endurance training exercise by • To relieve pain, • To increase range of motion, • To improve functional ability in neck pain patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female patients between age group 25 to 50 years with Mechanical neck pain are taken. The patients were primarily diagnosed and evaluated by the physician. The patient who fulfill the inclusion criteria have taken for the study and informed consent was obtained from the patients. MATERIALS: The study was designed to determine the efficacy of isometric neck muscle strengthening exercises to decrease pain and to increase range of motion in patients with mechanical pain in neck. Parameters - Pain- Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Disability-Vernon neck Disability index . MATERIALS USED: • Theraband, • High bucked wooden chair, • Goniometer, • Inch tape, • Couch, METHODOLOGY: Study Design -The study was conducted with two groups- comparative study. Study Setting - The study was conducted in the department of physiotherapy, Sri Ramakrishna hospital, Coimbatore. Study Duration - The study was conducted for 6 months. Treatment Duration - Both groups received treatment for 4 weeks, daily 2 sessions per day with 10 repetitions per session. Sampling - Mechanical neck pain patients or included in this study, according to inclusion criteria hence this will be a convenient sampling. Group A : Strengthening exercises to neck muscles & Group B : Endurance training to neck muscle. Inclusion Criteria: Idiopathic • Subjects between the age groups of 25-50 yrs • Subjects suffering from mechanical neck pain more than three months • Localized pain in neck. Exclusion Criteria: Previous neck surgery. • A history of malignancy • Fracture of cervical spine • Traumatic injury around cervical spine • Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis • Chronic tension type head ache • Severe physical disease • Patients treated with anti-depressive and anti-inflammatory drugs • Disk prolapse • Cervical rib • Frequent Migraine • Cervical spondylosis • Peripheral nerve entrapment • Sternocleidomastoid tightness. CONCLUSION : The study was done to find out optimal treatment strategy for Mechanical neck pain. Isometric neck muscle strengthening exercises and endurance training is a useful preventive approach for mechanical neck pain. Based on statistical analysis, it is clear that treatment protocol using Isometric neck muscle strengthening exercises (using thera-band) is significantly more effective. Hence the null hypothesis is rejected and alternate hypothesis is accepted stating that. "There is significant difference in the symptomatic recovery on using Isometric neck muscle strengthening exercises in patients with mechanical neck pain"

Optical quality ZnSe films and low loss waveguides on Si substrates for mid-infrared applications

Zinc Selenide (ZnSe) is a promising mid-infrared waveguide material with high refractive index and wide transparency. Optical quality ZnSe thin films were deposited on silicon substrates by RF sputtering and thermal evaporation, and characterized and compared for material and optical properties. Evaporated films were found to be denser and smoother than sputtered films. Rib waveguides were fabricated from these films and evaporated films exhibited losses as low as 0.6 dB/cm at wavelengths between 2.5 µm and 3.7 µm. The films were also used as isolation/lower cladding layers on Si with GeTe4 as the waveguide core and propagation losses were determined in this wavelength range

Alteration of Antioxidative Metabolism Induced by Triazoles in Sweet Potato

The triazole induced changes of antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, riboflavin, anthocyanin, and xanthophylls and the activities of antioxidant enzymes like ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase in Ipomoea batatas L. during initiation and maturation of storage roots were studied in field experiments. Each plant was treated with one liter of aqueous solution containing 20 mg L-1 triadimefon and 15 mg L-1  hexaconazole on 40, 55 and 70 days after planting (DAP). The treatments were given by soil drenching. The plants were harvested on 45, 60, 75, 90 and 105 DAP and used for analyzing antioxidant contents and antioxidant enzyme activities. It was found that these triazole compounds increase the contents of ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, riboflavin, anthocyanin, and xanthophylls and activities of ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities at 105 DAP. Triadimefon and hexaconazole treatments increased the antioxidation status in all parts of plants when compared to the control. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stress Physiology Lab, Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India* Corresponding Author, Email: [email protected], Tel: +914144 238248 x354; fax: +914144 222265 Please Cite This Article As: T. Sivakumar, G. M. A. Lakshmanan, P. V. Murali and R. Panneerselvam. 2010. Alteration of Antioxidative Metabolism Induced by Triazoles in Sweet Potato. J. Exp. Sci. 1(3): 10-13.Â

Fabrication and characterization of high-contrast mid-infrared GeTe₄ channel waveguides

We report the fabrication and characterization of high index contrast (Δn ~ 0.9) GeTe4 channel waveguides on ZnSe substrate for evanescent-field based biosensing applications in the mid-infrared spectral region. GeTe4 films were deposited by RF sputtering and characterized for their structure, composition, transparency and dispersion. The lift-off technique was used to pattern the waveguide channels. Waveguiding between 2.5-3.7 µm and 6.4-7.5 µm was demonstrated and mode intensity profile and estimated propagation losses are given for the 3.5 µm wavelength

Er-doped KY_(1-x-y)Gd_xLu_y(WO₄)₂ surface channel waveguides

Channel waveguides on KY1-x-yGdxLuy(WO4)2 epitaxial films doped with Er3+ were obtained by ion beam milling and guided modes at wavelengths near 1.5µm confirmed single mode behaviour. Absorption and emission spectra of these waveguides agree with those of bulk crystals of the same family, showing potential for a planar waveguide laser

Historical exclusion, conflict, health systems and Ill-health among tribal communities in India : a synthesis of three studies

The report aims to consolidate key findings across three studies among tribal populations in India; to understand and explain the diverse nature of health inequities along with processes and historical contexts which create, configure and sustain these inequities; it also questions the existing understanding of health equity. The three research partners explored different facets of health inequities among tribal communities from diverse historical and geographic contexts. A detailed sub-section examines the role of the health system in health inequities experienced by the tribal communities