Kinematic analysis of sensorimotor control during the craniocervical flexion movement in patients with neck pain and asymptomatic individuals: a cross-sectional study.
Elena Bocos-Corredor, Filippo Moggioli, Tomás Pérez-Fernández and 5 others
PMID 36650553WHAT IT FOUND
Fear of movement, not pain or disability, was the only factor linked to reduced range in neck flexion.
High fear scores predicted lower movement, but the link was weak. Pain intensity and disability did not explain kinematic differences, suggesting these specific measures may not be clinically useful for assessment.
Key findings
01Higher fear of movement scores were associated with lower range of motion in craniocervical flexion.
02Pain intensity and neck disability did not significantly explain any of the measured kinematic variables.
03The regression models explained a small amount of variance, indicating limited predictive power for clinical assessment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot determine if fear of movement causes reduced range or vice versa. Participants had low to moderate levels of pain and disability, which may not apply to patients with severe symptoms. The statistical models explained only a small portion of the variance in movement, meaning many other factors likely influence these kinematics. Muscle activation was not monitored, so patients may have used different muscle strategies to achieve similar movements.
Declared interests
Funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. No other conflicts of interest declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that fear of movement is the primary driver of neck pain kinematics based on this study alone. The association was weak, and the models explained little variance, so fear of movement should not be used as a sole predictor of physical capability.