Pilates and Kinesiotaping for Neck Pain, Disability and Cervical Function in Office Workers: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND

Prolonged computer use among office workers leads to postural disorders and musculoskeletal pain, particularly in the neck region. Pilates exercises and kinesiotaping are widely used interventions for the management of chronic neck pain.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Pilates exercises and kinesiotaping on neck pain, disability, cervical range of motion (CROM), neck muscle strength and core endurance in office workers with chronic neck pain.

METHODS

A randomised controlled trial was conducted with 30 office workers who completed the intervention. Participants were randomly assigned to either a Pilates group (n = 16) or a kinesiotaping group (n = 14). Both groups participated in an 8-week, supervised Pilates programme, while the kinesiotaping group additionally received kinesiotaping applications to the cervical region. Assessments of neck pain, disability, CROM, muscle strength and core endurance were conducted pre- and postintervention.

RESULTS

Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in pain, disability, CROM, neck muscle strength and core endurance (p < 0.05). Between-group comparisons revealed no significant differences in pain and disability outcomes (p > 0.05). However, an additional improvement in left cervical rotation CROM was observed in the kinesiotaping group (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Eight weeks of Pilates training significantly improved pain, disability and functional outcomes in office workers with chronic neck pain. Kinesiotaping provided limited additional benefits, primarily in rotational movements. From an occupational rehabilitation perspective, Pilates-based exercises may support work-related functional capacity and sustained work participation in sedentary occupations, while kinesiotaping may serve as a complementary modality. Further studies with larger samples are warranted to confirm these results.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06262997.