The association between cervical excursion angles and cervical short flexor muscle endurance

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Musculoskeletal Health
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Poor cervical posture is prevalent and may impact deep neck flexor muscle function.
• Understanding the relationship between specific postural deviations and muscle endurance is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between poor cervical posture and deep cervical short flexor muscle endurance in a healthy population.
• To determine if specific aspects of cervical posture (e.g., lordosis, forward head) are more strongly related to muscle endurance.

Main Methods:

• A randomly selected sample of 427 never-injured subjects was assessed.
• Poor posture was defined by extreme angular excursion of the upper and lower cervical spine.
• Deep cervical short flexor muscle endurance was measured.

Main Results:

• Poor deep cervical short flexor muscle endurance was significantly associated with extreme upper cervical spine excursion angles.
• This association was specifically linked to excessive cervical lordosis, not a forward-translated head posture.
• Findings were consistent for both male and female participants.

Conclusions:

• Excessive cervical lordosis, a component of poor head posture, is related to reduced deep cervical short flexor muscle endurance.
• Further research is required to precisely define poor cervical posture and its biomechanical relationship with deep neck flexor endurance.
• Clarifying these relationships will enable more specific and effective postural correction strategies.