RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Altered pattern of muscle activity is commonly seen with chronic neck pain (CNP). However, limited investigations have been done on dorsal neck muscles' activity pattern while performing upper limb tasks in patients with CNP. OBJECTIVES: To investigate dorsal neck muscles' thickness changes during isometric contraction of shoulder muscles. DESIGN: Case-control study. METHODS: This study investigated dorsal neck muscles' thickness changes during isometric contraction of shoulder muscles in 20 healthy participants (mean age 27 ± 4.37) and 17 patients with CNP (mean age 29 ± 5.50). Effects of isometric force of shoulder muscles on dorsal neck muscles' thickness changes were also evaluated. RESULTS: Significant muscle × group interaction was observed for the dorsal neck muscles thickness changes (p = 0.008) indicating different pattern of muscle activity in terms of changes in muscle thickness of two groups. Significant main effects of direction was observed (P = 0.003), with the abduction had the greatest impact on changing the dorsal neck muscles thickness. CONCLUSIONS: patients with CNP showed altered pattern of muscle thickness changes in comparison to healthy participants. Isometric abduction of shoulder muscles induced the greatest changes of dorsal neck muscles thickness among other force directions.
Asunto(s)
Músculos de la Espalda/anatomía & histología , Músculos de la Espalda/fisiopatología , Dolor Crónico/fisiopatología , Contracción Isométrica/fisiología , Músculos del Cuello/anatomía & histología , Músculos del Cuello/fisiopatología , Dolor de Cuello/fisiopatología , Adulto , Músculos de la Espalda/diagnóstico por imagen , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Electromiografía , Femenino , Voluntarios Sanos , Humanos , Masculino , Músculos del Cuello/diagnóstico por imagen , Ultrasonografía , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted with the purpose of evaluating the inter-session reliability of new software to measure the diameters of the cervical multifidus muscle (CMM), both at rest and during isometric contractions of the shoulder abductors in subjects with neck pain and in healthy individuals. METHOD: In the present study, the reliability of measuring the diameters of the CMM with the Sonosynch software was evaluated by using 24 participants, including 12 subjects with chronic neck pain and 12 healthy individuals. The anterior-posterior diameter (APD) and the lateral diameter (LD) of the CMM were measured in a resting state and then repeated during isometric contraction of the shoulder abductors. Measurements were taken on separate occasions 3 to 7 days apart in order to determine inter-session reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and smallest detectable difference (SDD) were used to evaluate the relative and absolute reliability, respectively. RESULTS: The Sonosynch software has shown to be highly reliable in measuring the diameters of the CMM both in healthy subjects and in those with neck pain. The ICCs 95% CI for APD ranged from 0.84 to 0.94 in subjects with neck pain and from 0.86 to 0.94 in healthy subjects. For LD, the ICC 95% CI ranged from 0.64 to 0.95 in subjects with neck pain and from 0.82 to 0.92 in healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonographic measurement of the diameters of the CMM using Sonosynch has proved to be reliable especially for APD in healthy subjects as well as subjects with neck pain.
Asunto(s)
Dolor Crónico/fisiopatología , Contracción Isométrica/fisiología , Fuerza Muscular/fisiología , Dolor de Cuello/fisiopatología , Hombro/diagnóstico por imagen , Hombro/fisiología , Ultrasonografía/instrumentación , Humanos , Programas InformáticosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted with the purpose of evaluating the inter-session reliability of new software to measure the diameters of the cervical multifidus muscle (CMM), both at rest and during isometric contractions of the shoulder abductors in subjects with neck pain and in healthy individuals.METHOD: In the present study, the reliability of measuring the diameters of the CMM with the Sonosynch software was evaluated by using 24 participants, including 12 subjects with chronic neck pain and 12 healthy individuals. The anterior-posterior diameter (APD) and the lateral diameter (LD) of the CMM were measured in a resting state and then repeated during isometric contraction of the shoulder abductors. Measurements were taken on separate occasions 3 to 7 days apart in order to determine inter-session reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and smallest detectable difference (SDD) were used to evaluate the relative and absolute reliability, respectively.RESULTS: The Sonosynch software has shown to be highly reliable in measuring the diameters of the CMM both in healthy subjects and in those with neck pain. The ICCs 95% CI for APD ranged from 0.84 to 0.94 in subjects with neck pain and from 0.86 to 0.94 in healthy subjects. For LD, the ICC 95% CI ranged from 0.64 to 0.95 in subjects with neck pain and from 0.82 to 0.92 in healthy subjects.CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonographic measurement of the diameters of the CMM using Sonosynch has proved to be reliable especially for APD in healthy subjects as well as subjects with neck pain.
Asunto(s)
Hombro/fisiología , Ultrasonografía/instrumentación , Dolor de Cuello/fisiopatología , Fuerza Muscular/fisiología , Dolor Crónico/fisiopatología , Contracción Isométrica/fisiología , Programas InformáticosRESUMEN
It is argued that cervical multifidus muscles (CMM) are responsible for providing neck stability. However, whether they are actually activated during the tasks performed by the upper extremities to the neck is still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of isometric contraction of shoulder muscles on the dimensions of CMM. Twenty three healthy males voluntarily participated in this study. Ultrasonography imaging of CMM was conducted at rest and at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of maximal voluntary contraction of shoulder muscles in 6 directions of shoulder movements. Anterior-posterior dimension (APD), lateral dimension (LD), shape ratio and multiplied linear dimension (MLD) of cervical multifidus were measured. The APD of CMM was increased while LD and shape ratio were decreased by shoulder muscles contraction (P < 0.01).