Department of Physiotherapy, MCOAHS, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
The aim of the study was to determine Effect of deep cervical flexor muscle fatigue on Cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility.
25 asymptomatic young adults (age range, 18–30 years) were recruited in to the study. The subjects were measured for reposition errors (degrees) by the Cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility tests which include Head-to-Neutral Head Position (NHP) repositioning tests and Head-to-Target repositioning tests with Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) Device. The two repositioning tests were performed in the sagital, transverse, and frontal planes. The subjects were introduced to deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscle fatigue protocol and reposition errors were measured post fatigue protocol.
The results of paired t- test for pre-post comparison of Head To Neutral Head Position and Head To Target Repositioning tests within the groups showed a significant difference in sagital plane (flexion and extension) with p ≤0.001 and no difference in frontal (side flexion-right and side flexion-left) and transverse plane (rotation-left and rotation-right) movements
DCF muscle fatigue will alter cervical position sense in sagital plane movements. So endurance of these muscles might play vital role in maintaining cervical position sense
Kinesthesia, Proprioception, Muscle fatigue, Deep cervical flexors
