• Barbara Cagnie, Shaun O'Leary, James Elliott, Ian Peeters, Thierry Parlevliet, and Lieven Danneels.
• Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium. barbara.cagnie@ugent.be
• Clin J Pain. 2011 Jun 1;27(5):392-7.

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of experimental neck muscle pain on the activation of the cervical extensor muscles during the performance of a cervical extension exercise by the use of muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging.MethodsThe activity of the multifidus, semispinalis cervicis, semispinalis capitis, and splenius capitis muscles was investigated bilaterally at 2 cervical levels (C2 to C3 and C7 to T1) in 15 healthy individuals. Measurements were taken at rest and after the performance of a cervical extension exercise without and with induced pain of the right upper trapezius (intramuscular injection of hypertonic saline).ResultsIn the pain condition, the activity of the multifidus/semispinalis cervicis was reduced bilaterally at the C7 to T1 level (P=0.045). For the semispinalis capitis, there were no significant differences between both conditions. The splenius capitis showed a significantly higher T2 shift at the left side at the C2 to C3 level (P=0.008) and a lower T2 shift at the right side at the C7 to T1 level (P=0.023).DiscussionThis is the first study that has shown pain to immediately affect the activity of both deep and superficial cervical extensor muscle layers during a cervical extension exercise. The findings support recommendations for evaluation of cervical extensor muscle function early in the management of painful cervical spine injuries.

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