Pain extent is more strongly associated with disability, psychological factors, and neck muscle function in people with non-traumatic versus traumatic chronic neck pain: a cross sectional study

Abstract Purpose Neck extensor endurance (NEE) and position sense are vital for maintaining cervical spine function and defects in these processes may be associated with impaired postural control in chronic neck pain (CNP) subjects. The study’s objectives are 1) to compare the cervical extensor endurance capability and postural control of CNP subjects with those of asymptomatic controls; 2) to investigate the association between NEE and postural control. Materials and Methods Sixty-four participants (38 asymptomatic, 38 with CNP) participated in this cross-sectional study. NEE was assessed using a clinical extensor endurance test. Under open and closed eyes conditions, postural control measures were tested with the Good Balance system. The postural control parameters were AP-velocity (mm/s), ML-velocity (mm/s) and Velocity moment (mm2). NEE capacity and postural control parameters were compared and correlated between asymptomatic and CNP subjects. Results and Discussion CNP subjects showed lower NEE capacity (p<0.001) and significantly larger AP-velocity (p<0.001), ML-velocity (p<0.001) and Velocity moment (p<0.001) than asymptomatic participants. NEE negatively correlated with AP-velocity (r=−0.51, p=0.001), ML-velocity (r=0.46, p=0.003) and velocity moment (r=0.38, p=0.020) in asymptomatic subjects in eyes open condition and no correlations in subjects with CNP. CNP subjects showed increased postural sway velocities and lowered extensor endurance capacity compared to asymptomatic participants. No correlations existed between NEE and postural control parameters in CNP subjects.

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Interactive Association Between Mechanical and Sensorimotor Aspects of Cervical Extensor Muscles: Implications for Chronic Neck Pain

Journal of Applied Biomechanics ◽

10.1123/jab.2019-0395 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 190-197

Author(s):

Leila Ghamkhar ◽

Somayeh Amiri Arimi ◽

Amir H. Kahlaee

Keyword(s):

Neck Pain ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Chronic Neck Pain ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Transverse Plane ◽

Muscle Size ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Multifidus Muscle ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Extensor Muscles

While proprioceptive functioning of the cervical extensor muscles has been proposed to be associated with chronic neck pain (NP), the mechanism by which such impairment might contribute to NP is not clear. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relevance of proprioception, extensor muscles size, and endurance to chronic NP. A total of 60 participants with (n = 30) or without (n = 30) chronic NP participated in this cross-sectional study. Joint repositioning error (JRE), ultrasonographic parameters of the cervical extensors, and clinical extensor endurance were assessed. Multivariate analysis of variance and logistic regression tests were used to compare the groups and test the predictive value of the dependent variables for chronic NP, respectively. Patients showed comparable JRE scores but smaller multifidus size and lower extensor endurance (Cohen d = 0.66 for both). JRE in the transverse plane (β = 1.20), multifidus muscle size (β = 0.02), and endurance (β = 0.99) were significant predictors for chronic NP odds ratio. The results found multifidus size as the most relevant factor to NP by showing both between-groups difference and considerable odds ratio. As JRE in transverse plane was not different between the groups and extensor endurance demonstrated minimal odds ratio, these 2 factors may be considered as less relevant to NP comparing multifidus muscle size.

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