Publications
Influence of pain, sequential movement or short-term rest performance on the evaluation results of neck muscle mechanical properties: a case-control study
Authors: Lourdes Garcia-Luque 1, Sandra Alcaraz-Clariana 1, Daiana Priscila Rodrigues-de-Souza 1, 2, Cristina Carmona-Perez 1, Juan Luis Garrido-Castro 2, 3, Francisco Alburquerque-Sendin 1, 2
Affiliations:
- Department of Nursing, Pharmacology and Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Cordoba, Spain
- Department of Computer Science and Numerical Analysis, Rabanales Campus, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
Journal: Physiotherapy Theory and Practice - January 2025 (DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2025.2451200)
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Field & Applications:
- Medical
- Musculoskeletal disorder
- Methodology
Introduction: Individuals with neck pain (NP) often experience altered muscle mechanical properties (MMPs), such as increased tone and stiffness. Myotonometry has become a reliable, noninvasive tool for measuring MMPs. However, the effect of movement and rest on MMPs in acute neck pain (ANP) individuals remains insufficiently explored.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate how sequential movement and short-term rest influence the MMPs of neck muscles in subjects with ANP.
Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 37 subjects with APN and 37 matched healthy controls. Muscle mechanical properties were assessed by myotonometry at baseline, post-movement (after a motion assessment sequence), and post-rest. The outcome measures of MMPs were frequency or tone, stiffness, decrement, which is the inverse of elasticity, relaxation, and creep.
Results: Subjects with ANP showed higher muscle tone, stiffness and decrement, and lower relaxation than controls, all with p < .05. In the ANP group, decrement was the only property that showed a significant change after movement and rest, both with p < .05. Reduced means values (m) with its standard deviation (SD) were observed post-movement (m = 1.35 Ø, SD = 0.03) and post-rest (m = 1.33 Ø, SD = 0.03) compared to baseline values (m = 1.43 Ø, SD = 0.04). The other MMPs remained stable across evaluation times (p > .05).
Conclusion: The evaluation of MMPs should be conducted prior to any mobility protocol to ensure that the results reflect the basal tissue characteristics in individuals with ANP, highlighting decrement as a sensitive marker of these changes.
Figure 2. MyotonPRO® probe applied until depth indication by color change.
Keywords: neck pain, tone, stiffness, myotonometry, elasticity
The assessment of basal tissue characteristics before ROM evaluation is essential to prevent potential alterations in MMPs caused by the assessment sequence, particularly in tissue elasticity.
This study highlights that subjects with ANP exhibit significant modifications in MMPs, including increased stiffness and frequency and decreased elasticity and relaxation, compared to healthy controls. These changes are closely linked to pain and underscore elasticity as a particularly sensitive marker. Notably, elasticity was the only variable to show significant differences after movement and rest within the ANP group, emphasizing the critical role of timing in clinical assessment protocols. Additionally, the study’s concise 5-minute rest protocol proved both practical and effective, offering a viable approach for clinical environments with limited time while maintaining the capacity to detect meaningful intergroup differences.