The effect of muscular fatigue on cervical joint position sense in young and healthy men and women: A preliminary study

Proprioception is one of the most precise and delicate senses of the human body. It plays an important role in coordination and postural control by protecting the body against trauma and accidents. Although many studies have assessed the effect of fatigue on proprioception in the limbs and the low back region، but a few studies have investigated its possible effect on the cervical region. Seventeen (8 women، 9 men) young and healthy volunteers were asked to perform the Cervicocephalic Relocation Test (CRT) to the neutral head position by relocating the head on trunk after actively rotating the head to right and left sides، in two conditions; before and after muscular fatigue. Absolute، constant and variable errors were used to evaluate cervical joint repositioning accuracy. Fatigue had no effect on cervical joint position sense، Furthermore no considerable difference was seen between male and female subjects (p>0. 05). The results suggest that following isometric fatigue of upper trapezuis muscles، no change is produced in the repositioning accuracy of both sexes. Furthermore، sex had no effect on cervical joint proprioception.