ABSTRACT
Background: Dysfunction of neck kinesthetic sensibility characterized
by increased movement irregularities and movement errors during
reposition tasks has been shown in middle-aged subjects with chronic
neck pain. However, pain can also induce changes in muscle spindle
discharge or the central output of the nervous system. Aim of study: To
determine a relationship between impaired cervicocephalic kinesthetic
sensibility and mechanical neck pain characteristics.
Procedures: Sixty patients with mechanical neck pain repositioned their
heads to the neutral head position a in sagittal and transverse plane.
When the subjects reach the reference position, the subject‟s relocation
accuracy was measured in degrees using the CROM device. The
Northwick neck pain questionnaire (NPQ) has proved to be a useful tool
in neck pain studies, correlating with objective measurements of neck
pain characteristics. Results: there was positive significant correlation
between NPQ score and flexion, rotation reposition error. Conclusion:
Disturbed kinesthetic sensibility was correlated with changes in the
mechanical neck pain characteristics.