Reliability of repeated isometric neck strength and endurance testing in a simulated contact posture

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of repeated isometric measurements of neck strength and endurance in a simulated rugby contact posture. Data were collected from healthy active university students (n = 20) over 3 sessions. Each session consisted of a single maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and endurance trial for extension and flexion. The endurance trials were analyzed to determine the area under the force curve (%AUC) and the time to fatigue (TTF). Reliability was calculated using the SEM and minimal detectable change (MDC). The results revealed that the MVC values for extension were nonsignificant for session (p = 0.21), whereas some session differences were seen for flexion (p = 0.01), where session 1, 115.3 N was less than session 3, 126.4 N (p = 0.03). For %AUC, flexion values (%AUC 86.0) were greater than extension (%AUC 59.4) (p = 0.02). A similar effect was observed for TTF with flexion (125.0 seconds) having significantly greater TTF than extension (86.1 seconds). For peak force, the greatest SEM and MDC were achieved for extension (15.3 and 42.3 N), while flexion produced lower values (11.3 and 31.2 N). In contrast, for the endurance trials, SEM and MDC were greater in flexion than in extension. The findings from this study indicate that the neck musculature can be reliably assessed in a simulated contact posture. For peak force, extension provided more consistent measures across time as there seems to be a learning effect for flexion. Additionally, the SEM and MDC scores provide a useful tool for future assessment of neck strength and endurance.