Abstract
Our aims were to identify potential differences in muscle mechanical properties (MMPs) of cervical and lumbar tissues and in spinal range of motion (ROM) between patients with acute low back pain (LBP) or acute neck pain (NP) and healthy controls, and to identify if ROMs and MMPs are able to identify subjects among the three groups. Clinical variables (pain, disability, fear of movement, kinesiophobia, quality of life), MMPs and ROMs were obtained in 33 subjects with acute LBP, 33 with acute NP, and 33 healthy control subjects. Between-groups differences and explanatory models to discriminate groups depending on MMPs and ROMs were calculated. The results showed that cervical tone was higher in patients with acute NP than in controls, while cervical decrement was higher in both spinal pain groups. Patients with acute NP showed reduced cervical flexion when compared to acute LBP and control groups, and also cervical rotation, but just against controls. Furthermore, lumbar flexion was reduced in patients with acute LBP when compared to those with acute NP. Cervical decrement was able to discriminate spinal pain individuals from controls in a multinominal regression (R2: Cox–Snell estimation = 0.533; Nagelkerke estimation = 0.600). Lumbar flexion differentiated patients with acute LBP and controls, whereas cervical flexion differentiated patients with acute NP and controls. This study supports a tendency of the affectation of other spinal regions when only one is affected.
Highlights
Low back pain (LBP) is associated with substantial burden at individual level and health systems [1]
The PCS-12 was different between both spinal pain groups and the control group with more than 10 points higher for healthy controls
The current study showed that specific muscle mechanical properties (MMPs), such as cervical tone and elasticity, and cervico-lumbar flexion and cervical rotation range of motion (ROM) are different among patients with acute LBP, acute Neck pain (NP) and healthy controls
Summary
Low back pain (LBP) is associated with substantial burden at individual level and health systems [1]. Individuals with NP show limited range of motion (ROM) [15], pain adaptive motor control disturbances, such as increased activation of surface musculature [15,16], and modifications in muscle mechanical properties (MMPs) [16,17]. These disturbances are not completely understood [18] and most of these conditions are diagnosed and classified as unspecific [19]
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