Comparison of the thickness and strength of upper dorsal neck muscles between participants with and without chronic non- specific neck pain using ultrasonography and dynamometry

Weakness and atrophy of neck muscles and poor posture are major factors in the incidence of neck pain in office workers. Among different layers of paraspinal muscles, the deeper ones are more involved in segmental spinal stability. In patients with neck pain, the thickness and strength of suboccipital muscles may change as a result of the pain and discomfort. The purpose of the present study was to compare the thickness and strength of upper dorsal neck muscles in male participants with chronic non-specific neck pain and healthy male participants.
The current observational-case control study was performed on 15 male participants with chronic non-specific neck pain and 15 healthy male participantss. The thickness and the strength of the Suboccipital neck extensor muscles including Rectus Capitis posterior (RC) and Obliqus Capitis Superior (OCS) were measured while participants were at rest and during isometric maximum voluntary contraction using ultrasonography and dynamometer.
The thicknesses of RC and OCS muscles at rest and maximum voluntary contraction were significantly smaller in patients compared with those in healthy participants (p The present study showed that the RC and OCS muscles in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain were thinner compared with those in healthy participants.The results indicated higher muscle strength in healthy participants compared to that in patient particiapnts. Suboccipital neck extensor muscles were also significantly weaker in male particiapnts with neck pain. The low thickness and strength of muscles may be the results of pain and inhibitory reflexes in patients with neck pain.