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Journal article

Neck muscle vibration can improve sensorimotor function in patients with neck pain

  • Beinert, Konstantin University of Fribourg, Department of Medicine, Unit of Sports Science, Switzerland
  • Keller, Martin University of Fribourg, Department of Medicine, Unit of Sports Science, Switzerland
  • Taube, Wolfgang University of Fribourg, Department of Medicine, Unit of Sports Science, Switzerland
    01.03.2015
Published in:
  • The Spine Journal. - 2015, vol. 15, no. 3, p. 514–521
Neck pain
Vibration
Proprioception
Postural control
Cervical joint position sense
Sensory reweighting
English Background: context People with neck pain display a diminished joint position sense and disturbed postural control, which is thought to be a result of impaired somatosensory afferent activity and/or integration. Afferent processing can be artificially manipulated by vibration and was shown to reduce motor performance in healthy subjects. However, the effect of vibration on sensorimotor function in neck pain patients is scarcely investigated.Purpose: To assess the effect of neck muscle vibration on joint position sense and postural control in neck pain subjects and healthy controls.Study design: Case control study.Patient sample: Thirteen neck pain patients and 10 healthy controls participated in the present study.Outcome measurements: Cervical joint position sense and dynamic and static postural stability.Methods: Short-term, targeted neck muscle vibration with 100 Hz was applied after baseline measurement.Results: Vibration had opposite effects in patients and healthy subjects. Patients showed improved joint position sense (p<.01) and reduced dynamic postural sway (p<.05) after vibration, whereas vibration resulted in reduced joint position sense acuity (p<.05) and a nonsignificant increase in postural sway in healthy controls.Conclusions: This is the first study showing an improved motor performance after neck muscle vibration in patients with neck pain. Thus, vibration may be used to counteract sensorimotor impairment of the cervical spine. Potential underlying mechanisms are discussed.
Faculty
Faculté des sciences et de médecine
Department
Département de Médecine
Language
  • English
Classification
Biological sciences
License
License undefined
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Persistent URL
https://folia.unifr.ch/unifr/documents/304242
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