Does Muscle Energy Technique (MET) on the suboccipital muscles have a longterm effect on proprioception and balance in people who suffer from chronic neck pain?
Item
- Title
- Does Muscle Energy Technique (MET) on the suboccipital muscles have a longterm effect on proprioception and balance in people who suffer from chronic neck pain?
- Author(s)
- Henrist, F
- Abstract
- Background: Chronic neck pain is a very common complaint in the UK population and altered balance and proprioception are commonly associated symptoms. The upper cervical spine, particularly the suboccipital muscles are often involved and this can cause changes in proprioceptive input, therefore affecting balance. Manualtherapy, such as MET, has proven to have a positive effect on neck pain. However, the longterm effects of MET have not been thoroughly explored yet.Objective: The objective is to investigate if a MET on the suboccipital muscles can have a long-term effect on balance and proprioception in people who suffer from chronic neck pain.Design: Single Case Research Design (SCRD) (ABAB). Methods: 3 students with chronic neck pain from the European School of Osteopathy (ESO) were selected.The study involved four phases, over ten weeks where subjects needed to stand on a Wii balance board (WBB) twice per week. The first two weeks was to establish a baseline with no treatment given, followed by a three week treatment period (one treatment per week). A further two weeks were allowed for patients to withdraw if needed, finishing with another three weeks of intervention. Graphic analysis was completed to provide a visual representation of the subject's outcomes. A statistical process control (SPC) was pedormed to analyse data.Results: The graphical representation shows an overall improvement in balance & proprioception over the period of ten weeks. However, the results are inconclusive due to the participant's variability. Also, a training response (Hawthorne's effect) is noticed as the curye stabilises halfway through the experiment. Discussion: The implication of these findings support the existing research that a manual therapy approach to chronic neck pain can affect a patient's balance and proprioception. However, manual therapy with a behavioural approach is advised to have a greater outcome effect on balance and proprioception. Conclusion: The results of this SCSD showed an overall improvement in balance & proprioception when MET is applied on the suboccipital muscles over a long-term, however, the results are inconclusive due to vanability between participants.
- presented at
- European School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 2018
- Date Submitted
- 25.1.2019 17:18:25
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 16397
- Inst-Identifier
- 1229
- Keywords
- Balance
- Recommended
- 0
- Medium
- Wii balance board
- Item sets
- Thesis
Henrist, F, “Does Muscle Energy Technique (MET) on the suboccipital muscles have a longterm effect on proprioception and balance in people who suffer from chronic neck pain?”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed April 23, 2025, https://library.wso.at/s/orw/item/367