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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomechanics
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1441484

Are cervical curvature and axioscapular muscle activity associated with disability in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain? -A cross sectional exploratory study

Provisionally accepted
Yanfeng Huang Yanfeng Huang 1Aliaa Elabd Aliaa Elabd 2Roger D. Adams Roger D. Adams 3Omar Elabd Omar Elabd 4Ahmed Torad Ahmed Torad 5Jia Han Jia Han 6*
  • 1 Department of Orthopedics, Jinshan District Central Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
  • 2 Department of Basic Sciences for Physical Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Benha University, Qalubyia, Egypt, Qalubyia, Egypt
  • 3 School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
  • 4 Department of Orthopedics and Its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Delta University for Science and Technology, Egypt., Delta, Egypt
  • 5 Basic science department, Faculty of physical therapy, Kafrelsheik University; Kafrelsheik, Egypt, Kafrelsheik, Egypt
  • 6 Department of Orthopedics, Jinshan District Central Hospital, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Purpose: To ascertain the relationship between cervical curvature, neck muscle activity and neck disability in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNNP). Methods: Ninety participants (mean age = 27.2, female/male ratio=7/2) with CNNP volunteered. The Neck Disability Index was used to assess neck disability. To indicate the electromyographic characteristics of the axioscapular muscles, the root mean squares and median frequencies of upper trapezius and levator scapula were used. Cervical curvature was measured with a flexible ruler. Results: Disability of the neck was significantly correlated with curvature (r=-0.599, p <0.001), upper trapezius root mean square (RMS) (r=0.694, p <0.001) and levator RMS (r=0.429, p <0.05). Multiple regression analysis produced a significant predictive equation that could predict disability: 33.224-0.515×Curvature + 0.156×Levator RMS -0.059×Upper trapezius median frequency + 0.636× upper trapezius RMS + 0.020×levator median frequency, with R 2 = 0.622. Conclusion: Cervical curvature as well as different axioscapular muscle activity were found to be related to level of disability. These findings have implications for clinical management of CNNP.

    Keywords: Cross-sectional study, Electromyography, Neck disability, Neck Pain, Superficial Back Muscles, spinal curvature

    Received: 31 May 2024; Accepted: 07 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Huang, Elabd, Adams, Elabd, Torad and Han. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jia Han, Department of Orthopedics, Jinshan District Central Hospital, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China

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