Relation between muscles strength, range of motion and daily physical activity in patients with neck pain

ABSTRACT Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine Bachelor Degree of Physiotherapy RELATION BETWEEN MUSCLES STRENGTH, RANGE OF MOTION AND DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH NECK PAIN Physiotherapy Bachelor‘s Thesis The author: VU Physiotherapy Bachelor program IV year student Lina Savickaitė. Academic advisor: assist. A. Cirtautas; Vilnius University; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine. The aim of research work: to identify relation between cervical spine isometric muscles strength, active range of motion and daily physical activity in patients with neck pain. Tasks of the research: 1. To evaluate cervical spine isometric muscles strength, active range of motion, daily physical activity and functional disability of patients with neck pain. 2. To identify the correlation between cervical spine‘s isometric neck muscles strength, active range of motion, daily physical activity and functional disability parameters. Research materials and methods: 25 patients with neck radiculopathy participated in this research. Patient‘s age varied between 20 - 60 years old, with a mean of 42,16±13.36 years. Testing performed once in the beginning of rehabilitation. Primarily, the pain intensity assessed using the analogic number scale of pain, the active range of motion was measured with inclinometer and the isometric neck muscle strength tested using the "Back - Check by Dr. Wolff software. There was conducted a survey about neck functional disability, daily physical activity and questionnaire. Results: 25 women pain intensity average value was 3.64 ± 1.11 points. The average of neck pain duration was 27.6± 5.13 months. The 16 percent of women had persistent neck pain and 60 percent note that neck pain becomes acute and intensify after exercise, work or long being in uncomfortable position. The majority of patients (64 percent) had reduced an active range of motion. The average of neck extension difference was 11 degrees. All neck muscle groups (flexors, extensors, lateral flexors) isometric strength was great for 4 percent of patients and for the rest (96 percent) isometric neck muscle strength was satisfactory or weak. Relation of neck muscle strength was ideal/good for 22 percent of women and for others muscle strength relation was satisfactory, bad or very bad. The total average of work index score was 2.13± 0.65 points, the average of sport index was 2:41 ± 0:49 points and leisure time activity index value was 2.71± 0.54 points. Mild functional disability had 64 percent of patients while moderate disability had 36 percent of patients. Conclusions: 1. The cervical spine isometric muscles strength and active range of motion was decreased and relation of neck muscle strength was impaired in patients with neck pain. The majority of patient‘s daily work, sport and leisuire activity was decreased and functional disability was mild. The neck pain was between moderate and mild. 2. The more higher is neck pain, the more difficult to perform active neck movements. The more movements of neck is limited by pain, the higher neck disability are in daily tasks. However, the higher daily physical activity of patients with neck pain is associated with lower functional disability and the higher neck extensors and flexors muscles strength. Daily physical activity has an influence on better neck active range of motion results. The same relations exists between neck range of motion and isometric neck muscle strength