Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.12674/ptk.2016.23.2.020

Altered Motor Control in Patients With Neck Pain and Prospective Research Work  

Lee, Min-young (Dept. of Public Health Science, The Graduate School, Korea University)
Yoon, Bum-chul (Dept. of Public Health Science, The Graduate School, Korea University)
Publication Information
Physical Therapy Korea / v.23, no.2, 2016 , pp. 20-34 More about this Journal
Abstract
Background: It is necessary to find and develop the effective way of intervention for patients with neck pain, since the neck pain is becoming increasingly common throughout the world. To identify the altered motor control in patient with neck pain would be informative to find and develop the effective way of intervention. Objects: The aim of this study was to review literature regarding the altered motor control in patients with neck pain, measured by using surface electromyography (sEMG), ultrasonography, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and to suggest prospective research work on neck pain. Methods: Case-control (neck pain/healthy) studies published between 2004 and 2015 that investigated neck muscle activation, thickness, cross-sectional area, and fat infiltrate were searched in Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Twenty-eight articles were included in this study. Results: sEMG, ultrasonography, and fMRI were used complementarily to investigate the altered superficial and deep neck muscle activation, thickness, cross-sectional area, and fat infiltrate in patients with neck pain. They showed the following altered motor control when compared retrospectively with healthy subjects or during specific functional tasks: (1) increased superficial muscle activation, (2) lesser deep muscle thickness, (3) smaller cross-sectional area of the deep muscle, and (4) greater fat infiltrate in deep muscles. In particular, among the women, the office workers showed higher muscle activation of superficial neck muscles during functional tasks, although they did not have neck pain, than those who were not office workers. Conclusion: Studies revealed that patients with neck pain showed an altered motor control when compared with healthy subjects by using various assessment modalities. Understanding this phenomenon would help researchers design an effective intervention for alleviating neck pain or to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. In addition, we recommend that female office workers take measures to care for their necks before developing neck pain.
Keywords
Electromyography; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Motor control; Muscle activity; Neck pain; Ultrasound;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Wegner S, Jull G, O'Leary S, et al. The effect of a scapular postural correction strategy on trapezius activity in patients with neck pain. Man Ther. 2010;15(6):562-566. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2010.06.006   DOI
2 Ylinen J, Takala EP, Nykanen M, et al. Active neck muscle training in the treatment of chronic neck pain in women: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2003;289(19):2509-2516.   DOI
3 Yun KH. Effect of craniocervical flexion exercise using sling on recruitment of deep cervical flexor. Daegu, Daegu University, Master Thesis. 2011.
4 Abbott R, Pedler A, Sterling M, et al. The geography of fatty infiltrates within the cervical multifidus and semispinalis cervicis in individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorders. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015;45(4):281-288. http://dx.doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2015.5719   DOI
5 Boudreau SA, Falla D. Chronic neck pain alters muscle activation patterns to sudden movements. Exp Brain Res. 2014;232(6):2011-2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-014-3891-3   DOI
6 Bronfort G, Evans R, Nelson B, et al. A randomized clinical trial of exercise and spinal manipulation for patients with chronic neck pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2001;26(7):788-797.   DOI
7 Cagnie B, Dirks R, Schouten M, et al. Functional reorganization of cervical flexor activity because of induced muscle pain evaluated by muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging. Man Ther. 2011a;16(5):470-475. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2011.02.013   DOI
8 Cagnie B, Dolphens M, Peeters I, et al. Use of muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare cervical flexor activity between patients with whiplash-associated disorders and people who are healthy. Phys Ther. 2010;90(8):1157-1164. http://dx.doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20090351   DOI
9 Cagnie B, Elliott JM, O'Leary S, et al. Muscle functional MRI as an imaging tool to evaluate muscle activity. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011b;41(11): 896-903. http://dx.doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2011.3586   DOI
10 Cagnie B, O'leary S, Elliot J, et al. Pain-induced changes in the activity of the cervical extensor muscles evaluated by muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging. Clin J Pain. 2011c;27(5):392-397. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0b013e31820e11a2   DOI
11 Cho HY. Effects of cervical stabilization exercise type on muscle strength and endurance, cross sectional area of cervical in patients with chronic cervical pain. Seoul, Korea University, Doctoral Dissertation. 2011.
12 Chon SC, Chang KY. Effect of craniocervical flexion exercise on pain and cross sectional area of longus colli muscle in workers with chronic neck pain. Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea. 2010;29(6):889-895.   DOI
13 Chung YH, Eom TW, Moon TW, et al. A study of neck pain and its related factors among high school students in the vicinity of Seoul and Kyung Ki province. J Oriental Rehab Med. 2007; 17(4):185-198.
14 Edmondston S, Bjornsdottir G, Palsson T, et al. Endurance and fatigue characteristics of the neck flexor and extensor muscles during isometric tests in patients with postural neck pain. Man Ther. 2011;16(4):332-338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2010.12.005   DOI
15 Elliott J, Jull G, Noteboom JT, et al. Fatty infiltration in the cervical extensor muscles in persistent whiplash-associated disorders. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006;31(22):E847-E855.   DOI
16 Elliott J, Sterling M, Noteboom JT, et al. Fatty infiltrate in the cervical extensor muscles is not a feature of chronic, insidious-onset neck pain. Clin Radiol. 2008;63(6):681-687. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crad.2007.11.011   DOI
17 Elliott JM, Courtney DM, Rademaker A, et al. The rapid and progressive degeneration of the cervical multifidus in whiplash: An MRI study of fatty infiltration. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015;40(12):E694-E700. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000000891   DOI
18 Evans R, Bronfort G, Nelson B, et al. Two-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial of spinal manipulation and two types of exercise for patients with chronic neck pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002;27(21):2383-2389.   DOI
19 Elliott JM, O'Leary S, Sterling M, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging findings of fatty infiltrate in the cervical flexors in chronic whiplash. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2010;35(9):948-954. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181bb0e55   DOI
20 Elliott JM, Pedler AR, Jull GA, et al. Differential changes in muscle composition exist in traumatic and nontraumatic neck pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014;39(1):39-47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000000033   DOI
21 Falla D, Bilenkij G, Jull G. Patients with chronic neck pain demonstrate altered patterns of muscle activation during performance of a functional upper limb task. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004; 29(13):1436-1440.   DOI
22 Fernadez-de-las-Penas C, Albert-Sanchis JC, Buil M, et al. Cross-sectional area of cervial multifidus muscle in females with chronic bilateral neck pain compared to controls. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38(4):175-180.   DOI
23 Grant R. Physical Therapy of the Cervical and Thoracic Spine. 3rd ed. New York, Churchill Livingstone, 2002:26-44.
24 Grimmer K. Measuring the endurance capacity of the cervical short flexor muscle group. Aust J Physiother. 1994:40(4):251-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0004-9514(14)60461-X   DOI
25 Hoy DG, Protani M, De R, et al. The epidemiology of neck pain. Best Prac Res Clin Rheumatol. 2010;24(6):783-792. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2011.01.019   DOI
26 Johnston V, Jull G, Souvlis T, et al. Neck movement and muscle activity characteristics in female office workers with neck pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008b;33(5):555-563. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181657d0d   DOI
27 Javanshir K, Rezasoltani A, Mohseni-Bandpei MA, et al. Ultrasound assessment of bilateral longus colli muscles in subjects with chronic bilateral neck pain. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;90(4):293-301. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0b013e31820173e5   DOI
28 Jesus-Moraleida FR, Ferreira PH, Pereira LS, et al. Ultrasonographic analysis of the neck flexor muscles in patients with chronic neck pain and changes after cervical spine mobilization. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011;34(8):514-524. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.08.006   DOI
29 Johnston V, Jull G, Darnell R, et al. Alterations in cervical muscle activity in functional and stressful tasks in female office workers with neck pain. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2008a;103(3):253-264. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0696-8   DOI
30 Jordan A, Bendix T, Nielsen H, et al. Intensive training, physiotherapy, or manipulation for patients with chronic neck pain: A prospective, single-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1998;23(3):311-319.   DOI
31 Jull G, Kristjansson E, Dall'Alba P. Impairment in the cervical flexors: A comparison of whiplash and insidious onset neck pain patients. Man Ther. 2004;9(2):89-94   DOI
32 Jun DH. Effect of arm movement with cranio-cervical flexion test on muscle activity. Daegu, Daegu University, Master Thesis. 2012.
33 Jun IS. Comparison of deep cervical flexors recruitment during cranio-cervical flexion exercise with and without neck pain. Daegu, Daegu University, Master Thesis. 2011.
34 Lindstrom R, Schomacher J, Farina D, et al. Association between neck muscle coactivation, pain, and strength in women with neck pain. Man Ther. 2011;16(1):80-86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2010.07.006   DOI
35 Jun IS. The effects of cranio-cervical flexion exercise accompanied by mandibular opening on the thickness of deep cervical flexors and static stability in neck pain patients. Daegu, Daegu University, Doctoral Dissertation. 2014.
36 Juul-Kristensen B, Clausen B, Ris I, et al. Increased neck muscle activity and impaired balance among females with whiplash-related chronic neck pain: A cross-sectional study. J Rehabil Med. 2013;45(4):376-384. http://dx.doi.org/10.2340/16501977-1120   DOI
37 Kwon MS, Jeon HR, Lee HJ. Comparing persons with neck pain experience to persons without neck pain experience in deep neck muscle size using ultrasonography images and neck muscle endurance time. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association. 2011;11(12):326-334.   DOI
38 Nam KB. The difference in cervical curvature and neck muscle activity in relation to the existence of neck pain. Seoul, Kyunghee University, Master Thesis. 2009.
39 O'Leary S, Cagnie B, Reeve A, et al. Is there altered activity of the extensor muscles in chronic mechanical neck pain? A functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;92(6):929-934. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2010.12.021   DOI
40 Peolsson A, Lofstedt T, Trygg J, et al. Ultrasound imaging with speckle tracking of cervical muscle deformation and deformation rate: Isometric contraction of patients after anterior cervical decompression and fusion for cervical disc disease and controls. Man Ther. 2012;17(6):519-525. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2012.05.005   DOI
41 Taimela S, Takala EP, Asklof T, et al. Active treatment of chronic neck pain: A prospective randomized intervention. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000; 25(8):1021-1027.   DOI
42 Peterson G, Dedering A, Andersson E, et al. Altered ventral neck muscle deformation for individuals with whiplash associated disorder compared to healthy controls-a case-control ultrasound study. Man Ther. 2015;20(2):319-327. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2014.10.006   DOI
43 Skillgate E, Magnusson C, Lundberg M, et al. The ageand sex-specific occurrence of bothersome neck pain in the general population-results from the Stockholm public health cohort. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2012;13:185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-13-185   DOI
44 Szeto GP, Straker LM, O'Sullivan PB. Neck-shoulder muscle activity in general and task-specific resting postures of symptomatic computuer users with chronic neck pain. Man Ther. 2009;14(3):338-345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2008.05.001   DOI
45 Tsang SM, Szeto GP, Lee RY. Altered spinal kinematics and muscle recruitment pattern of the cervical and thoracic spine in people with chronic neck pain during functional task. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2014;24(1):104-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2013.10.011   DOI
46 Uthaikhup S, Pensri C, Kawsoiy K. Decreased thickness of the lower trapezius muscle in patients with unilateral neck pain. Muscle Nerve. 2015 (Article in press). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mus.25014   DOI
47 Vikne H, Bakke ES, Liestol K, et al. Muscle activity and head kinematics in unconstrained movements in subjects with chronic neck pain; cervical motor dysfunction or low exertion motor output. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2013;14:314. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-14-314   DOI