Correlation Between Endurance and Proprioception Function in Cervical Radiculopathy
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrollment
- 80
- Primary Endpoint
- Cervical proprioception errors by using joint position sense via CROM device
Overview
Brief Summary
In cervical radiculopathy, reduced endurance of the deep cervical flexor muscles is associated with impaired cervical proprioception. This relationship reflects altered sensorimotor control due to muscle dysfunction and neural compromise, emphasizing the need for deep flexor endurance training in rehabilitation.
Detailed Description
In patients with cervical radiculopathy, endurance of the deep cervical flexor muscles (longus capitis and longus colli) plays a crucial role in maintaining cervical segmental stability and accurate sensorimotor control. These muscles are rich in muscle spindles and provide continuous afferent input necessary for cervical proprioception, including joint position sense and movement accuracy. When deep cervical flexor endurance is reduced, there is increased reliance on superficial neck muscles, leading to altered motor patterns and diminished quality of proprioceptive feedback.
Cervical radiculopathy further disrupts proprioceptive function through nerve root compression, inflammation, and impaired neural conduction, which affect both sensory input and motor output. This neuromuscular dysfunction results in increased joint position errors, delayed muscle activation, and poor postural control. Consequently, a significant correlation is observed between decreased deep cervical flexor endurance and impaired cervical proprioception, suggesting that deficits in muscle endurance contribute directly to sensorimotor dysfunction. These findings support rehabilitation approaches that emphasize endurance training of the deep cervical flexors to restore proprioceptive accuracy and cervical motor control in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Observational
- Observational Model
- Case Control
- Time Perspective
- Prospective
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 30 Years to 45 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Adults diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy based on clinical examination (± imaging confirmation).
- •Presence of neck pain with radiating symptoms to the upper limb for at least 4 weeks.
- •Age range 20-60 years.
- •Ability to understand instructions and participate in cervical endurance and proprioception assessments.
Exclusion Criteria
- •History of cervical spine surgery or acute cervical trauma.
- •Presence of neurological disorders other than cervical radiculopathy (e.g., stroke, multiple sclerosis).
- •Vestibular disorders or conditions affecting balance and head position sense.
- •Inflammatory, rheumatologic, or severe musculoskeletal conditions involving the cervical spine.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Cervical proprioception errors by using joint position sense via CROM device
Time Frame: baseline
Cervical proprioception was assessed using the CROM device by measuring joint position sense error. Participants were seated upright with the trunk stabilized and the CROM mounted on the head; visual input was eliminated by closing the eyes. From a neutral head position, participants actively moved the head to a predetermined target angle (approximately 50-60% of available cervical range of motion) in flexion, extension, or rotation, held the position briefly, returned to neutral, and then attempted to reproduce the target position. The absolute difference between the target and reproduced angles, recorded in degrees by the CROM, represented the joint position error, and the mean of three trials for each movement direction was used for analy
Secondary Outcomes
- Deep flexor cervical muscle endurance using biofeedback device(baseline)
Investigators
Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Ella
Lecturer
Delta University for Science and Technology