Abstract
[Purpose] The job of secondary school teachers involves a lot of head down posture as
frequent reading, assignment correction, computer use and writing on a board put them at
risk of developing occupational related neck pain. Available studies of neck pain
experienced by teachers are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine whether
training of deep cervical flexor muscles with pressure biofeedback has any significant
advantage over conventional training for pain and disability experienced by school
teachers with neck pain. [Subjects] Thirty teachers aged 25–45 years with neck pain and
poor craniocervical flexion test participated in this study. [Methods] A pretest posttest
experimental group design was used in which experimental group has received training with
pressure biofeedback and conventional exercises while control group received conventional
exercises only. Measurements of dependent variables were taken at baseline, and after 2
and 4 weeks of training. Pain intensity was assessed using a numeric pain rating scale and
functional disability was assessed using the neck disability index. [Results] The data
analysis revealed that there was significant improvement in pain and disability in both
the groups and the results were better in the experimental group. [Conclusion] Addition of
pressure biofeedback for deep cervical flexor muscles training gave a better result than
conventional exercises alone. Feedback helps motor learning which is the set of processes
associated with practice or experience leading to permanent changes in ability to
respond.