L1: What to prescribe them for and how to prescribe them (1 min)

Lesson instructions:

What to prescribe them for

The following conditions can respond favourably to this series of exercises:

• Chronic neck pain1
• Osteoarthritis2
• Whiplash3
• Cervicogenic headache4,5
• Trapezius myalgias
• Patients with an impaired cranio-cervical flexion test (page 4) should respond well4,6-8 

How to prescribe them

These exercises can be prescribed in a 20 minute one-on-one consultation. They can then be incorporated into a group session or prescribed as home exercises. For optimal results they should be performed one to three times per day. Follow up consultations are recommended to assess technique and outcomes. 

What the patient can expect

Some patients can experience rapid relief, in as little as a week if they are performing these exercises three times per day. We suggest a minimum of four to six weeks to ensure the appropriate motor patterns are established.

While the patient may feel some discomfort after performing these exercises they should not aggravate the patient’s condition. If they do it is either a technique problem or they are not ready to perform them.