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- Röijezon, Ulrik, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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A novel method for neck coordination exercise : a pilot study on persons with chronic non-specific neck pain
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1743-0003. ; 5, s. 36-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Chronic neck pain is a common problem and is often associated with changes in sensorimotor functions, such as reduced proprioceptive acuity of the neck, altered coordination of the cervical muscles, and increased postural sway. In line with these findings there are studies supporting the efficacy of exercises targeting different aspects of sensorimotor function, for example training aimed at improving proprioception and muscle coordination. To further develop this type of exercises we have designed a novel device and method for neck coordination training. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical applicability of the method and to obtain indications of preliminary effects on sensorimotor functions, symptoms and self-rated characteristics in non-specific chronic neck painMETHODS: The study was designed as an uncontrolled clinical trial including fourteen subjects with chronic non-specific neck pain. A new device was designed to allow for an open skills task with adjustable difficulty. With visual feedback, subjects had to control the movement of a metal ball on a flat surface with a rim strapped on the subjects' head. Eight training sessions were performed over a four week period. Skill acquisition was measured throughout the intervention period. After intervention subjects were interviewed about their experience of the exercise and pain and sensorimotor functions, including the fast and slow components of postural sway and jerkiness-, range-, position sense-, movement time- and velocity of cervical rotation, were measured. At six-month follow up, self-rated pain, health and functioning was collected.RESULTS: The subjects improved their skill to perform the exercise and were overall positive to the method. No residual negative side-effects due to the exercise were reported. After intervention the fast component of postural sway (p = 0.019) and jerkiness of cervical rotation (p = 0.032) were reduced. The follow up showed decreased disability (one out of three indices) and fear of movement, and increased general health (three out of eight dimensions).CONCLUSION: The results support the clinical applicability of the method. The improvements in sensorimotor functions may suggest transfer from the exercise to other, non-task specific motor functions and justifies a future randomized controlled trial.
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| 2. |
- Richter, Hans O., et al.
(författare)
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Long-term adaptation to neck/shoulder pain and perceptual performance in a hand laterality motor imagery test
- 2010
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Ingår i: Perception. - : Sage Publications. - 0301-0066 .- 1468-4233. ; 39:1, s. 119-130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The effect of neck/shoulder pain on the performance in a hand laterality motor imagery test was studied. Responses to the Cooper and Shepard (1975, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 104 48–56) hand laterality test were explored in twenty-four individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain and twenty-one subjects with chronic neck pain of traumatic origin (whiplash-associated disorder). Twenty-two controls were also included in the study. Digitalised right- or left-hand stimuli were presented at five different stimulus angles (0°, 45° laterally, 90° laterally, 135° laterally, and 180°). The experimental task was to decide the laterality as fast and accurately as possible. The performance, both reaction time (RT) and accuracy, of the two experimental groups was contrasted with that of the control group. The main results revealed that the subjects afflicted with whiplash injury on the average exhibited a faster response pattern than symptom-free healthy controls. Despite their musculoskeletal deficits and experience of pain these volunteers also exhibited a preserved speed–accuracy tradeoff. Longer duration of time with symptoms of neck pain was, moreover, associated with progressively faster RTs. These results point to perceptual learning and may reflect different stages of adaptation to neck pain.
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| 3. |
- Röijezon, Ulrik, et al.
(författare)
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The slow and fast components of postural sway in chronic neck pain
- 2011
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Ingår i: Manual Therapy. - : Elsevier BV. - 1356-689X .- 1532-2769. ; 16:3, s. 273-278
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate the slow and fast components of postural control in quiet stance in subjects with chronic neck pain, associations between postural sway and self-rated characteristics and to study the impact of anthropometrics on postural sway.Design: A single-blinded cross-sectional study including two separate data collections.Subjects: Sample 1: Persons with chronic non-specific neck pain (NS, n=24), whiplash associated disorders (WAD, n=21). Healthy subjects were controls (CON, n=21). Sample 2: Women only, 98 NS and 32 CON subjects.Methods: Subject performed a quiet stance test with eyes closed on a force platform while the center of pressure (CoP) trajectory was measured. Sample 1 was tested on a firm surface for 30 seconds, while sample 2 was tested on both firm and foam surfaces for 190 seconds. The CoP signal was decomposed into the slow and fast components and the magnitude of these signals were calculated. Anthropometrics were included as covariate in the analysis of group differences if correlated with postural sway variables. Group differences in the sway variables were evaluated, as well as association between postural sway and self-ratings of symptoms, functioning and kinesiophobia.Results: Increased magnitude of the slow sway component was found for both neck pain groups. Increasing age was associated with increased magnitude of the fast component. Surface conditions had no effect on group difference. For WAD, associations were found between the magnitude of the slow component and self-rated characteristics related to physical functioning, sensory alterations and psychosocial functioning. For NS, concurrent low back pain was associated with increased postural sway.Conclusion: Postural control can be altered in chronic neck pain. This effect was present only for the slow sway component, which implies aberration in sensory feedback or processing of sensory information. Associations between postural sway and self-rated characteristics in WAD support the clinical validity of postural control assessment in this group. Increased postural sway found in NS with concurrent low back pain suggests an important role of generalised spinal pain on postural control alterations.
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| 4. |
- Sandlund, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Acuity of goal-directed arm movements to visible targets in chronic neck pain
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. - : Foundation of Rehabilitation Information. - 1650-1977 .- 1651-2081. ; 40:5, s. 366-374
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate end-point acuity in goal-directed arm movements in subjects with chronic neck pain, while taking the trade-off between speed and accuracy into account, and to evaluate associations between reduced acuity and self-rated characteristics.Design: Single-blinded, controlled, comparative group study.Subjects: Forty-five subjects with chronic non-traumatic, non-specific neck pain (n = 24) and whiplash-associated disorders (n = 21). Healthy subjects served as controls (n = 22). The groups were age- and sex-matched.Methods: Subjects performed fast and accurate pointing movements to a visual target. Group differences in end-point variability, controlled for peak velocity, were evaluated. Associations between end-point variability and self-rated symptoms, functioning, self-efficacy and kinesiophobia were analysed.Results: End-point acuity, controlled for peak velocity, was reduced for both neck-pain groups. Similar spatial error patterns across all groups indicated no direction-specific reduction. For both neck-pain groups, associations were found between end-point acuity and neck movement deficits, physical functioning and, in whiplash, also balance and pain.Conclusion: Acuity of goal-directed arm movements can be reduced in chronic neck pain. Associations between acuity and self-rated characteristics support the clinical validity of the results and indicate that impaired neck function contributes to reduced end-point acuity. The results can be of importance for characterization and rehabilitation of neck disorders.
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