ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND: A Smartphone is a hand-held device with advanced computing capabilities, such as internet communication, information retrieval, video, social media and other applications leading to Musculoskeletal Disorders. The incidence of musculoskeletal disorders of hand, wrist, forearm, arm and neck has been increasing all over the world due to prolonged usage of smartphones where the upper extremities have the high danger of gaining repetitive strain injuries. OBJECTIVE:To determine the effect of Resistance exercise and Nerve and Tendon gliding exercise on Musculoskeletal disorders among physiotherapy students. METHODOLOGY:30 subjects with musculoskeletal disorders were selected based on the selective criteria and randomly divided into two groups. Group-A subjects received resistance exercise with theraband. Group-B subjects received nerve and tendon glidingexercise in common both groups performed the above mentioned exercises only to the thumb region. Both groups were treated for 4 days per week for 8 week duration. The outcome measures were subjective questionnaire about hand dominance and type of smartphone, total hours of usage per-day. Cornell mobile phone hand discomfort questionnaire and VAS to assess the pain level. RESULT: All the values were tabulated and statistically analyzed using unpaired test. Data analysis revealed significant difference between two groups those who received Resistance exercise and Nerve and Tendon gliding exercise. Visual analogue scale shows that the Group-A Subjects those who received resistance exercise using theraband had absolute reduction of pain than the Group-B subjects those who received nerve and tendon gliding exercise. CONCLUSION: Resistance exercise is more effective than the Nerve and Tendon gliding Exercise in the management of subjects with MSD in reducing pain and disability there by improving functional activities.