Discussion
AO, chronic idiopathic NP, pain
This study assessed the immediate effects of observing neck movements (AO) on NP intensity, fear of movement, fear-avoidance beliefs, neck muscles’ strength, and tactile acuity in individuals with chronic idiopathic NP when compared to the effects of observing a natural environment.Contrary to our hypothesis that AO would have a larger impact on pain intensity, a similar decrease in pain was found for both groups suggesting that both AO and observing a natural landscape have hypoalgesic effects. The control group reported a mean decrease in pain intensity of 37% and the AO group of 30%, from baseline to post-intervention, suggesting that these changes are clinically relevant [Previous studies using a single session of AO in patients with NP have reported increased PPT in one body site out of three measured in the neck [We were unable to find any study on individuals with NP that investigated the impact of AO on psychological variables, two-point discrimination, or strength. Our finding of a significant interaction between time and group favoring the control group for two-point discrimination at C3-C4 was not expected. A study demonstrated through magnetic resonance imaging that observing video clips of a touched hand activates the somatosensory cortices due to the mirror neuron system [We found no changes in kinesiophobia or fear-avoidance beliefs both in the AO group and in the control group, despite the decrease in pain intensity. It has been suggested that observing movements perceived as potentially harmful or dangerous activates the sympathetic nervous system, due to fear [