The influence of neck pain on balance and gait parameters in community-dwelling elders (original) (raw)
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Frontiers in medicine, 2024
Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) can lead to altered gait which is worse when combined with head movement. Gait parameters for indicating speed and symmetry have not been thoroughly investigated in older adults with CNP. This study aimed to compare gait performance in term of speed and symmetry in older adults with and without CNP during walking with head movement. Methods: Fifty young older adults, consisting of 36 healthy controls without neck pain (OLDs) and 14 older adults with CNP, participated in the study. Participants completed the Neck Disability Index and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale. The 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT) was used to assess gait performance. Participants were instructed to walk at preferred speed under three different head movement patterns: no head movement (NM), horizontal head movement (HM), and vertical head movement (VM). The Inertial Measurement Unit was used to capture gait performance, and its software was used to analyze gait variables; gait speed, Locomotor Rehabilitation Index (LRI), gait asymmetry index, Phase Coordination Index (PCI). Results: The CNP group reported moderate neck pain with mild disability in activities of daily living, and less balance confidence than the OLD group (p < 0.05). The CNP group showed significantly slower gait speed and lower LRI during walking with both the HM and VM (p < 0.05), which corresponded to lower stride length and cadence. The gait asymmetry index in the CNP group was significantly higher than the OLD group during walking with VM (p < 0.05), whereas the PCI was significantly higher than the OLD group during walking with both HM and VM (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Chronic neck pain affects both speed and symmetry when walking with head movement. Gait parameters in this study could be implemented to identify changes in speed and symmetry of gait in older adults with CNP who have mild disability and high physical functioning.
The Turkish Journal of Geriatrics, 2019
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic nonspecific neck pain on balance, cervical proprioception, head posture, and deep neck flexor muscle endurance in the elderly. Materials and Method: Elderly participants aged ≥65 years with chronic neck pain (n=16; 9 females) and without neck pain [n=16; 8 females (control group)] were included in this study. Balance function of the participants was assessed using the SportKAT 550 kinesthetic balance device, one-leg standing test, and timed up and go test. The joint position error test was used to evaluate cervical proprioception. Head posture was assessed by craniovertebral angle measurement, and muscle endurance was evaluated by the deep neck flexor endurance test. Results: All balance tests results, joint position error value, and deep neck flexor muscle endurance were better in the control group than in the neck pain group (p<0.05). No difference was observed between the neck pain and control groups with respect to the craniovertebral angle value (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicate that chronic neck pain negatively affects the balance, cervical proprioception, and muscle endurance in the elderly. Our study results will guide health professionals to plan appropriate treatment strategies for the elderly with neck pain.
Gait & posture, 2018
There is limited understanding of potential mechanisms underpinning postural control deficits in people with neck pain. This study examined several characteristics that might explain impaired postural stability in a group of older adults with neck pain, and compared the results in this cohort with that of asymptomatic controls. In this cross-sectional study we compared physical activity, lower limb motor and sensory function, vestibular and visual function, falls efficacy and dizziness handicap in 84 older adults with (n=35, age 69.6±6.3) and without (n=49, age 69.4±4.7) idiopathic neck-pain. Additionally, dynamic balance was assessed using the dynamic gait index (DGI) and standard and wavelet analysis of static balance was computed after data capture. Physical activity levels, lower limb motor and sensory function, vestibular function and visual contrast sensitivity were not different between groups (p>0.05). The neck-pain group demonstrated higher falls efficacy (p=0.01), great...
2021
Background: Neck pain is now a widely recognized musculoskeletal problem in the global community. It has been linked to a variety of problems in the cervical spine as well as other structures. Walking is a basic human activity that is simple to perform, has a low risk of injury, and has many health benefits. Aim: The present study was done to objectively investigate if there is a relationship between neck pain characteristics and gait parameters in people who had chronic mechanical neck pain (CMNP). Material and methods: Twenty-six participants suffering chronic mechanical neck pain (G1) and twenty-six normal healthy matched subjects (G2) were assessed for neck pain characteristics and gait parameters. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was applied to assess pain intensity, the Neck disability Index (NDI) Arabic version was applied to assess neck function, and the Biodex Gait Trainer 2 TM device was used to assess spatiotemporal gait parameters. Results: in comparison with the control ...
Medical Journal of The Islamic Republic of Iran, 2018
Background: Impairment of cervical sensory input in patients with neck pain may disturb postural stability. The purpose of present study was to assess the dynamic postural stability of subjects with chronic neck pain compared to a matched control group. Methods: In this case-control study, 22 chronic non-specific neck pain and 22 healthy individuals participated. Postural stability was measured with Techno-body Prokin tilting platform. Subjects performed balance tests under two conditions: eyes open and closed. The parameters for assessment of postural stability were total stability index (TSI), anteroposterior stability index (APSI), mediolateral stability index (MLSI), and trunk deviation which demonstrated total trunk sway in medio-lateral and antero-posterior. We used a separate 2 (group) by 2 (postural difficulty) mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) for analysis of postural performance. Results: There were significant differences between the chronic neck pain and matched control groups in APSI, MLSI, and TSI, p<0.001 in both eyes opened and closed conditions. The trunk deviation was greater for non-specific neck pain in comparison to healthy subjects, p<0.05 in both conditions of eyes open and closed. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that patients with chronic neck pain have poorer postural control than healthy subjects. The findings suggest that clinicians take into account the importance of dynamic postural stability assessment in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain and consider the application of intervention programs for improvement of the dynamic balance.
Correlation of Neck Pain Severity with Balance in Subjects with Mechanical Neck Pain
2020
Background: Mechanical neck pain (MNP) is the most common cause of neck pain which causes sustained and abnormal loads on the neck and compromises the pain sensitive structures and therefore affects function of the cervical spine. MNP is characterised by reduced mobility, myofascial pain, faulty posture and altered cervical proprioception which can affect the balance of an individual. Hence, this study aimed to correlate pain severity with static and dynamic balance in young adults with MNP. Method:42 subjects of age 18 to 35 years with MNP were included in this study. The subjects were asked to rate neck pain severity using Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) whereas, static and dynamic balance was assessed using Modified Clinical test for Sensory Interaction in Balance (MCTSIB) and Modified Star Excursion Balance Test (MSEBT) respectively. Results: The findings demonstrated a significant positive correlation between neck pain severity and static balance when standing on unstable su...
Frontiers in Medicine
BackgroundOlder adults with chronic neck pain (CNP) demonstrate impaired postural control. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) is used to assess systems underlying postural control impairments, but its use in CNP has not been reported. This study assessed whether the BESTest can identify postural control impairments in CNP as well as the level of BESTest item difficulty by Rasch analysis.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study recruited thirty young adults (YOUNG) aged 20–40 years and eighty older adults aged 60 years or older [without neck pain (OLD) = 60, with chronic neck pain (CNP) = 20]. Questionnaires were administered to collect demographic data, intensity of neck pain (VAS), patient’s self-rated neck pain and disability (NDI), and balance confidence in daily activities (ABC). The BESTest was used to assess postural control.ResultsThe CNP group showed the lowest ABC scores. Compared to the YOUNG group, the BESTest score was significantly lower in the OLD gro...
Gait speed and gait asymmetry in individuals with chronic idiopathic neck pain
Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 2019
Background: Recent studies have shown that individuals with chronic idiopathic neck pain (CINP) exhibit altered spatiotemporal gait parameters. Problems arising from the neck joints and related soft tissues, and most mechanical neck pain appear asymmetric. However, whether individuals with CINP have an asymmetric gait has not been clarified. Objectives: The aim was to investigate if there was a significant difference in gait speed (GS) and gait asymmetry (GA) between individuals with CINP and healthy controls. Design: Case-Control Study Method: Twenty individuals with CINP and 20 healthy controls were included. All participants performed the 10-meter walking test in three walking conditions: preferred walking (PW), preferred walking with head rotation and walking at maximum speed (MAXW). The timing gate system and pressure sensitive insoles were used to calculate GS and GA, respectively. GA was calculated using the difference between right and left swing durations. Results/Findings: Individuals with CINP had slower GS in all walking conditions compared to controls (p<0.05). In PW and MAXW conditions, gait was found to be asymmetric in individuals with CINP compared to controls (p<0.05). There was no difference in GA between the walking conditions in either group (p>0.05). Conclusions: Individuals with CINP had a slower and more asymmetrical gait. GA should be evaluated as a part of the routine gait analysis since it has potential to cause asymmetric loading on joints which could cause other musculoskeletal problems in the
Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 2019
Introduction: Gait impairment has been associated with neck pain. It is relevant to understand the possible influence of narrow-based walk and an attention-demanding secondary task on gait performance in neck pain. Purpose: To investigate the effects of tandem walk and cognitive and motor dual-tasks on gait speed in persons with chronic idiopathic neck pain (CINP) compared with controls. Methods: A cross-sectional study. Thirty participants with CINP and 30 asymptomatic controls participated in the study. Gait speed was assessed using a timed 10-m walk test at a comfortable pace under four conditions: (1) comfortable walk (as reference); (2) tandem walk (single task); (3) cognitive dual-task walking; and (4) motor dual-task walking. Dual-task interference was calculated. Results: There was no difference in comfortable gait speed between groups (p= 0.40). The CINP group had slower gait speed during the tandem walk than controls (p= 0.02). The dualtask interference on gait speed was not different between groups (p = 0.67 for cognitive, p = 0.93 for motor). Conclusion: Participants with CINP had impaired gait stability during tandem walk. An attentiondemanding secondary task did not influence gait speed in individuals with CINP compared to controls. The study suggests that tandem walk could be considered as an assessment tool and part of rehabilitation for neck pain.