Abstract
Purpose
This study examined the activation patterns of the cervical and thoracic muscles in people with and without chronic neck pain during functional activities and their associations with pain intensity and functional disability.
Methods
Thirty-four adults with chronic neck pain and 34 asymptomatic adults were recruited. They were requested to perform active cervical movements and an upper limb lifting task. Electromyographic activation patterns (EMG) of bilateral upper trapezius, cervical erector spinae, sternocleidomastoid, and thoracic erector spinae were recorded during these tasks. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the associations between EMG variables and severity of pain and functional disability.
Results
When performing the cervical movements, the neck pain group displayed lower EMG activity levels, especially in the cervical and thoracic extensors. In addition, significantly prolonged activation was observed in seven of the ten muscles during the upper limb lifting task. The changes in EMG amplitude and activation duration were found to be significantly correlated with severity of pain (R2 = 0.716) and functional disability (R2 = 0.623).
Conclusions
Significant differences in the activation patterns of multiple cervical and thoracic muscles were found in individuals with neck pain compared with those without neck pain. These were significantly associated with their degree of pain and functional limitation. The findings of this study highlight the importance of assessing and optimising the neuromuscular activation of these muscles in the rehabilitation of those suffering from chronic neck pain.
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Abbreviations
- AS:
-
Asymptomatic
- CES:
-
Cervical erector spinae
- CMD:
-
Coefficient of multiple determination
- Cx:
-
Cervical spine
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- ICC:
-
Intraclass correlation coefficient
- MCS:
-
Mental Component Score
- MIVC:
-
Maximal isometric voluntary contraction
- NDI:
-
Neck Disability Index
- NP:
-
Neck pain
- NPQ:
-
Northwick Park Disability Questionnaire
- NPRS:
-
Numeric Pain Rating Scale
- PCS:
-
Physical Component Score
- SCM:
-
Sternocleidomastoid
- SENIAM:
-
Surface electromyography for the non-invasive assessment of muscles
- SF-12:
-
Short Form 12 health survey
- SMIVC:
-
Sub-maximal isometric voluntary contraction
- TES4:
-
Thoracic erector spinae at 4th thoracic spine level
- TES9:
-
Thoracic erector spinae at 9th thoracic spine level
- Tx:
-
Thoracic spine
- UTr:
-
Upper trapezius
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Communicated by Guido Ferretti.
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Tsang, S.M.H., Szeto, G.P.Y., Xie, Y.F. et al. Association of electromyographic activation patterns with pain and functional disability in people with chronic neck pain. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 1481–1492 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3878-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3878-z