Investigation of the Relationship Between the Endurance of Cervical Flexor and Extensor Muscles and Pain, Disability, and Range of Motion in Individuals with Neck Pain

Aim: Individuals experiencing chronic neck pain often present with heightened pain levels, functional disability, restricted cervical range of motion, and diminished muscular endurance. Despite the prevalence of these symptoms, the interrelationships among them remain insufficiently explored in the literature. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the associations between cervical flexor and extensor muscle endurance and key clinical outcomes, including pain intensity, disability, and cervical range of motion, in individuals with chronic neck pain.

Methods: This study included 120 female participants with a mean age of 39.7 ± 9.8 years. Flexor and extensor muscle endurance was assessed using cervical endurance tests. Pain intensity at rest and during activity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Functional disability related to neck pain was assessed with the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Cervical range of motion (ROM) was measured using a universal goniometer. Statistical analyses were conducted using Pearson correlation coefficients to examine relationships between variables. The significance level was determined as p<0.05.

Results: In this study, a statistically significant relationship was found between the endurance of cervical flexors and the VAS parameter regarding pain at rest (r=-0.18, p= 0.04); and between the endurance of cervical extensors and VAS [rest VAS (r=--0.24, p= 0.006) and activity VAS (r=-0.34, p= <0.001)], the NDI (r=-0.33, p=<0.001) and ROM [only flexion (r=0.19, p=0.03) and left rotation (r=0.17, p=0.05)] (p<0.05).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that variations in cervical muscle endurance may significantly influence neck pain, functional disability, and cervical mobility.

Keywords: Disability, endurance, neck pain, pain, range of motion.