Normal global motion of the cervical spine: an electrogoniometric study

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Spinal Anatomy
• Clinical Reference Standards

Background:

• In vivo out-of-plane cervical spine motion patterns lack large-scale population data.
• Understanding these patterns is clinically relevant for diagnosing and treating spinal conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a normal database and clinical reference for active global cervical spine motion ranges and patterns.
• To analyze three-dimensional cervical motion in a large cohort of asymptomatic individuals.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed 3D cervical motion ranges and patterns in 250 asymptomatic volunteers (aged 14-70 years).
• Utilized the CA 6000 Spine Motion Analyzer to assess motion between the first thoracic vertebra and the head.
• Measured flexion-extension, lateral bending, and rotation in both neutral and full flexion positions.

Main Results:

• Average sagittal plane motion was 122 degrees; flexion exceeded extension. Out-of-plane components were negligible.
• Global bending averaged 88 degrees, with comparable left/right ranges. Rotation averaged 144 degrees in neutral position.
• Age significantly reduced motion ranges, while sex showed no influence. Associated motion components were generally small.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully established reference data for cervical spine motion, validating the methodology.
• Findings provide valuable clinical reference data for cervical out-of-plane motion analysis.
• Age-related decreases in motion highlight the importance of normative data for clinical assessment.