Influence of Neck Pain, Cervical Extensor Muscle Fatigue, and Manual Therapy on Wrist Proprioception

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
• Human Motor Control

Background:

• Neck pain and muscle fatigue can alter sensory processing.
• Subclinical neck pain (SCNP) may impact sensorimotor control in the upper limb.
• Joint position sense (JPS) is crucial for fine motor skills and proprioception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of neck muscle fatigue on wrist JPS in healthy individuals and those with SCNP.
• To evaluate the impact of manual cervical therapy on wrist JPS in individuals with SCNP.

Main Methods:

• Two groups (healthy, SCNP) underwent two sessions.
• Session 1: Wrist JPS testing before and after cervical extensor muscle fatigue protocol.
• Session 2: Wrist JPS testing before and after manual cervical therapy (SCNP group) or neck rest (control group).

Main Results:

• Neck muscle fatigue increased absolute error in wrist JPS for the control group but decreased it for the SCNP group.
• A single session of manual cervical therapy significantly reduced absolute error in wrist JPS for the SCNP group.
• Findings indicate altered afferent input from the neck affects wrist proprioception.

Conclusions:

• Neck pain and fatigue can disrupt wrist joint position sense.
• Manual cervical therapy shows potential for improving acute wrist proprioception in individuals with SCNP.
• Cervical manual therapy may be a viable approach to enhance sensorimotor function in SCNP.