• Dilara Onan, Erkan Demirci, Egemen Turhan, and Özlem Ülger.
• Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkiye.
• Turk J Med Sci. 2024 Jan 1; 54 (4): 811821811-821.

Background/AimStrengthening the muscles of the lumbar region in individuals with neck pain may be protective against future back problems. In addition, telerehabilitation applications, which gained momentum in the literature and clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, are among the applications preferred by patients thanks to their various advantages. This study aimed to compare the effects of telerehabilitation and spinal stabilization exercises applied with face-to-face approaches on the thickness of the transversus abdominis (M.TrA) and lumbar multifidus (M.LM) muscles in patients with nonspecific neck pain.Materials And MethodsThe primary outcomes were the thickness of the M.TrA and M.LM. Neck pain intensity and neck disability were secondary outcomes. Muscle thickness was evaluated with an ultrasound device, neck pain intensity was assessed with a visual analog scale, and disability was assessed with the Neck Disability Index. Patients were randomly assigned to the telerehabilitation group (TRG) (n = 13) or the control group (CG) (n = 13). While the TRG did the exercises with live videos and video recordings, the CG did exercises face-to-face in the clinic. Both groups performed the same exercises for 45 minutes per session 3 days a week for 8 weeks.ResultsAt the end of the treatment, the thicknesses of the M.TrA and M.LM were increased and neck pain intensity and neck disability were decreased in both groups (p < 0.05). The groups were similar in terms of these variables (p > 0.05).ConclusionTelerehabilitation and face-to-face spinal stabilization exercises are both beneficial for spinal muscle architecture and clinical variables as a preventive measure against future lower back problems in individuals with neck pain.© TÜBİTAK.

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