Clinical Outcomes of Chin Tuck Exercise and TENS in Cervical Disc Herniation: A Case Report

Abstrak

Background: Cervical disc herniation is a degenerative cervical spine disorder that may cause neck pain, muscle spasm, restricted mobility, and functional limitations. Conservative physiotherapy interventions such as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Chin Tuck Exercise are commonly used to reduce symptoms and improve function.
Objective: To describe the clinical outcomes of a physiotherapy program consisting of TENS and Chin Tuck Exercise in an older adult with cervical disc herniation.
Methods: This case report involved a 64-year-old male farmer presenting with recurrent neck pain radiating to the shoulder and upper extremity, forward head posture, cervical muscle spasm, and functional disability. The patient received four physiotherapy sessions over one month consisting of conventional TENS (80–100 Hz, 15 minutes) and Chin Tuck Exercise (8–10 repetitions, 3 sets, 5–10-second hold). Outcomes were assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) from baseline (T1) to the final evaluation (T4).
Results: Resting pain decreased from 3/10 to 1/10, pressure pain from 5/10 to 2/10, and movement-related pain from 6/10 to 3/10. The NDI score improved from 28/50 to 14/50, representing a 50% reduction in disability. Reduced cervical muscle spasm and improved daily functional activities were also observed. No adverse events were reported.
Conclusion: Combined TENS and Chin Tuck Exercise were associated with improvements in pain intensity and functional disability in this patient with cervical disc herniation. However, findings from a single case should be interpreted cautiously and require confirmation through controlled studies.