Effects of restrained cervical mobility on voluntary eye movements and postural control

The effects of restrained cervical mobility on pursuit eye movements (PEMS), voluntary saccades and postural control, as measured by posturography, were studied in 11 healthy subjects whose cervical spine movement had been restrained for 5 days by means of a rigid neck-collar. At day 5 mean peak velocity of voluntary saccades at amplitudes of 40 degrees and 60 degrees was significantly reduced, as was mean peak gain of PEMs at a stimulus velocity of 50 degrees/s; the variance of body position in vibration-induced body sway was significantly increased, but there was no difference in variance of galvanically-induced body sway or in velocity of vibration-induced body sway. The results suggest that restriction of cervical movements per se affects voluntary eye movements, a conclusion also consistent with findings in patients with tension headache. Restriction of cervical movement only marginally affects postural control.