The effects of physiotherapy and vacuum cupping at chronic non-specific neck pain

Research aim- to evaluate and compare the effects of physiotherapy and vacuum cupping on pain, functional impairment, movement amplitude, fatigue at chronic non-specific neck pain. Hypothesis of the research – we anticipate that a decrease in pain and fatigue rates and an increase in the amplitude of active neck movements should be greater for patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain, patients who received physical therapy and vacuum cups, than for patients to whom solely physiotherapy was applied. Topicality and novelty of the topic - reviewing the scientific literature, the lack of scientific research aimed at evaluating and comparing the effects of vacuum cupping on chronic non-specific pain is noticeable (Cao, Li & Liu, 2012). In the studies carried out, the largest contingency of study is made up of young people and adults having sedentary work (Kim et al., 2017). Research objectives: To evaluate the effects of 4 weeks of physiotherapy and vacuum cupping on pain, functional impairment, fatigue intensity and active cervical spinal motion in chronic nonspecific neck pain; To evaluate the effects of 4 weeks of physiotherapy on pain, functional impairment, fatigue intensity, and active cervical spine function with chronic non-specific neck pain; To compare the effects of 4 weeks of physiotherapy and vacuum cupping on pain, functional impairment, fatigue intensity, active cervical spine function with solely physiotherapy exposure. Methodology: The study involved 22 subjects with chronic non-specific neck pain. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups of 11 subjects: the study group (application of physiotherapy and vacuum cupping) and the control group (application of physiotherapy). At the beginning and the end of the study, the following was assessed: pain intensity; active neck movements amplitude, disability, fatigue. Results: At the end of the study in both groups, functional disability, fatigue intensity decreased, while active neck movement amplitude increased (p<0.05). In the group of physiotherapy and vacuum cups, the functional disability and fatigue of the subjects decreased, and the right side and left side amplitude increased more at solely physiotherapy without vacuum cups (p< 0.05). Conclusions: After 4 weeks of physiotherapy and vacuum cupping, pain intensity, functional disability and fatigue decreased and active cervical amplitude increased. After 4 weeks of physiotherapy, pain intensity, functional disability and fatigue decreased, the amplitude of active neck movements increased. The effects of 4 weeks of physiotherapy with vacuum cupping on pain, fatigue intensity and active cervical spine function is statistically significant compared to that of solely physiotherapy