Manual therapy
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Visual symptoms are often reported by patients with neck pain. The aim of the study was to report on the prevalence and most troublesome visual disturbances in subjects with neck pain. Seventy subjects with neck pain and seventy healthy control subjects answered questions about the presence and magnitude (/12) - product of frequency (0-4) and intensity (0-3) of each of 16 visual symptoms noted to be associated with neck pain and other possible causes. ⋯ Subjects with traumatic neck pain had a significantly higher VCI compared to those with idiopathic neck pain. The results could help with differential diagnosis. The visual symptoms might be related to eye movement control disturbances in neck pain, however further research is required.
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Comparative Study
Changes in muscle activity and stature recovery after active rehabilitation for chronic low back pain.
Patients with low back pain often demonstrate elevated paraspinal muscle activity compared to asymptomatic controls. This hyperactivity has been associated with a delayed rate of stature recovery following spinal loading tasks. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in muscle activity and stature recovery in patients with chronic low back pain following an active rehabilitation programme. ⋯ Greater stature recovery immediately following the programme was associated with decreased pain (r = -0.55; P = 0.01). The increased height gain after six months suggests that delayed rates of recovery are not primarily caused by disc degeneration. Muscle activity did not decrease after treatment, perhaps reflecting a period of adaptation or altered patterns of motor control.
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The aim of this study was to obtain normative ultrasonography (US) data on the suprascapular nerve (SSN) and omohyoid muscle (OM) in the lateral cervical region. The SSN and OM are known to be related throughout the nerve's course, yet little imaging data exists on these structures at areas more proximal than the suprascapular foramen. US data from a convenience sample of 33 asymptomatic subjects between 21 and 42 years of age were collected. ⋯ Our results show that the SSN nerve CSA is consistent throughout the nerves proximal course. Furthermore, the OM and SSN tend to approximate as they course distally. Future studies with larger samples will better characterize the normal sonoanatomy of these structures between genders and across different ages.
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Lumbar spine side bending is reduced in end range extension compared to neutral and end range flexion postures.
Lumbar side bending movements coupled with extension or flexion is a known low back pain (LBP) risk factor in certain groups, for example, athletes participating in sports such as hockey, tennis, gymnastics, rowing and cricket. Previous research has shown that sagittal spinal postures influence the degree of spinal rotation, with less rotation demonstrated at end of range extension and flexion. To date it is unknown whether sagittal spinal postures influence side bending. ⋯ A reduction was found in the range of upper and lower lumbar side bend ROM in an end-range extended posture (p < 0.05), compared to neutral and end range flexion postures. This ROM reduction was found in sitting and standing. These findings allow clinicians to better interpret combined movements involving side bending of the lumbar spine in clinical and real life settings.
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Previous studies have shown that postural orientations of the neck, such as flexed or forward head postures, are associated with heightened activity of the dorsal neck muscles. While these studies describe the impact of variations in neck posture alone, there is scant literature regarding the effect of neck posture on muscle activity when combined with upper limb activities such as lifting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of three different neck postures on the activity of the different layers of the dorsal neck muscles during a lifting task. ⋯ Significant condition by time interactions associated with the lift was observed for four out of the five dorsal muscles (p<0.02). These findings demonstrate that posture of the cervical spine influenced the level of muscle deformation not only at rest, but also when lifting. The findings of the study suggest that neck posture should be considered during the evaluation or design of lifting activities as it may contribute to excessive demands on dorsal neck muscles with potential detrimental consequences.