Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medical Science, Jeonju University, Korea | [b] Laboratory of Kinetic Ergocise Based on Movement Analysis, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea | [c] KEMA Healing Center, Daejeon, Korea | [d] Department of Physical Therapy, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Oh-Yun Kwon, Laboratory of Kinetic Ergocise based on Movement Analysis, Department of Rehabilitation Therapy, Graduate School, Yonsei University, 234 Maeji-ri, Heungeop-Myeon, Wonju, Kangwon-Do, 220-710, Korea. Tel.: +82 33 760 2721; Fax: +82 33 760 2496; E-mail:kwonoy@yonsei.ac.kr
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although unilateral posterior neck pain (UPNP) is more
prevalent than central neck pain, little is known about how UPNP affects
neck motion and the muscle activation pattern during prone neck extension. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether deviation in neck motion and
asymmetry of activation of the bilateral cervical paraspinal muscles occur
during prone neck extension in subjects with UPNP compared to subjects
without UPNP. METHODS: This study recruited 20 subjects with UPNP and 20 age- and
sex-matched control subjects without such pain. Neck motion and muscle onset
time during prone neck extension were measured using a three-dimensional
motion-analysis system and surface electromyography. RESULTS: The deviation during prone neck extension was greater in
the UPNP group than in the controls (p < 0.05). Compared with the controls,
cervical extensor muscle activation in the UPNP group was significantly
delayed on the painful side during prone neck extension (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with UPNP showed greater asymmetry of neck
motion and muscle activation during prone neck extension compared with the
controls. This suggests that UPNP has specific effects on neck motion
asymmetry and the functions of the cervical extensors, triggering a need for
specific evaluation and exercises in the management of patients with UPNP.
