| Association Between Hand Grip Strength and Severity of Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain in University Students With Mild to Moderate Symptoms |
| Paper ID : 1163-SPORTCONGRESS (R1) |
| Authors |
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اسما علی پور *, مروارید احمدی, محمد جواد فرهمند دانشجوی دانشگاه رازی کرمانشاه |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Non-specific neck pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint that can impair upper limb function and quality of life. Hand grip strength is a widely used indicator of upper limb performance in clinical settings. This study aimed to examine the relationship between chronic neck pain severity and hand grip strength in university students with mild to moderate non-specific neck pain. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study included 40 students (20 males and 20 females) from Razi University of Kermanshah, all of whom were diagnosed with mild to moderate nonspecific neck pain based on their scores on the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Grip strength of the dominant and non-dominant hands was measured using a dynamometer in three trials and the mean values were calculated. The severity of nonspecific neck pain was quantified using the NDI and expressed as a percentage. Due to non-normal distribution (Shapiro-Wilk test), Spearman's rank correlation was used. Analyses were also performed in SPSS version 27. Results: In male students, NDI scores showed a significant negative correlation with grip strength in both the dominant (r = –0.465, p < 0.05) and non-dominant (r = –0.476, p < 0.05) hands. In females, no significant correlation was found (dominant: r = –0.101, p > 0.05; non-dominant: r = 0.155, p > 0.05). These gender-based differences may reflect physiological, biomechanical, or compensatory changes in pain response and motor strategies, and warrant further investigation. Conclusion: The students who had non-specific chronic neck pain showed gender-specific differences in the relationship between hand grip strength and pain severity. Grip strength may be relevant in cervical rehabilitation for males, while in females, pain may be more influenced by postural alignment, neuromuscular control, and psychosocial factors. Rehabilitation programs should reflect these differences through gender-sensitive strategies tailored to the dominant mechanisms in each group |
| Keywords |
| Keywords: non-specific neck pain, Hand Grip Strength, Mild To Moderate Neck pain |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
