Effects of Repetitive Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation and Exercise on Pain, Neck Disability Index, and Muscle Fatigue in Chronic Neck Pain Patients

This study examined the effects of repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) and exercises on pain, neck disability, and muscle fatigue in chronic neck pain patients. Eightteen subjects were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received rPMS combined with exercise therapy, and the control group applied general physical therapy and exercise therapy. Both groups received treatment time of 20 minutes per day, five times a week, for a total of 4 weeks. The subjects were evaluated by a visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index, and muscle fatigue. In the experimental group, a significant decrease was observed in both VAS and NDI after treatment (p<.05), and there was significant difference compared to the control group (p<.05). In both the experimental group and control groups, significant improvement was observed in the muscle fatigue after therapy (p<.05), and there was no significant difference in the muscle fatigue compared to the control group (p>.05). The results suggest that rPMS combined with exercise effectively reduces pain, improves functional ability, and alleviates neck muscle fatigue in patients with chronic neck pain.