A Study on The Effectiveness of Shoulder Strengthening Exercises on Thickness of The Neck Extensor Muscles

Neck extensor muscles play an important role in stabilizing the cervical spine. Upper limbs muscle activities may increase cervical extensor muscles function. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in neck extensor muscles thickness after a shoulder-abduction strengthening exercise program. Methods & Materials: In this study participants were 28 healthy women (age 20-25 years of old) who were randomly assigned to a shoulder-abduction strengthening exercise group (n=14) and control group (n=14). Intervention period in both groups was 10 weeks. The thickness of five cervical muscles including upper trapezius، semispinaliscervicis، semispinaliscapitis، splenius capitis and multifidus muscleswas measured by ultrasonography. Shoulder-abduction strengthening exercise program lead to significant increase inthickness of the neck extensor muscles (p<0. 001). Semispinaliscapitis muscle showedthe greatest increase in muscle thickness among the extensor muscles. Upper limbs muscle training as was used in this study plays an important role in increasing neck posterior muscles thickness. It is recommended to use this kind of training to improve the function of neck extensor muscles.