Is There Altered Activity of the Extensor Muscles in Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain? A Functional Magnetic Resonance
Imaging Study
ABSTRACT. Is there altered activity of the extensor muscles in chronic mechanical neck pain? A functional magnetic resonance imag-ing study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2011;92:929-34.
Objective:
To compare the pattern of neck extensor muscle use in participants with chronic mechanical neck pain to that of
healthy controls during 2 different extension exercises by use of muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging (mfMRI).
Design: Cross-sectional.
Setting: University laboratory.
Participants:Data recorded from subjects with chronic
mechanical neck pain (n 12; 10 women, 2 men) were com-pared with previously recorded data from healthy subjects
(n 11; 7 men, 4 women).
Interventions: Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures: mfMRI measures of shifts in T2 relaxation were made for the multifidus, semispinalis cervicis,
semispinalis capitis, and splenius capitis muscles, at C2-3, C5-6, and C7-T1 levels, prior and immediately after 2 different
exercises: cervical extension in craniocervical neutral (CCN) and cervical extension in craniocervical extension. T2 shift
values (difference between pre- and postexercise T2 relaxation values) for each muscle and exercise condition were used for analysis.
Results: While there were observed differences in differential activation of the extensor muscles in participants with
mechanical neck pain compared with controls, these differences were only evident for the CCN exercise condition and
were only observed for 3 out of the 7 muscle regions of interest during this exercise.
Conclusions:
Results of this study suggest some alteration in the differential activation of the cervical extensors in patients with mechanical neck pain and indicate that further investigation of this muscle group in mechanical neck pain disorders is
warranted