Search Results (11)

Background and Objectives: Ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block is a promising alternative intervention for cervical radicular pain. However, factors associated with treatment responses remain unknown. This single-center, retrospective study aimed to identify clinical and radiological factors associated with treatment response to stellate ganglion block in patients with cervical radicular pain. Materials and Methods: This study included patients with cervical radicular pain who underwent ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block. Successful response was defined as a ≥4-point or ≥50% reduction in the numerical rating scale score at 3 months post-procedure compared with the pre-procedural baseline. Patients who did not meet these criteria or underwent additional interventional procedures for persistent cervical radicular pain within 3 months were classified as unsuccessful responders. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with treatment response. Results: Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that substantial cervical multifidus fatty degeneration, defined as Goutallier grade ≥2 of the cervical multifidus muscles (vs. minimal fatty degeneration, odds ratio (OR) 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08–0.66, p = 0.007) and bony hypertrophy at the uncovertebral or facet joint as the primary etiology of foraminal stenosis (vs. disc herniation, OR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.14–0.87, p = 0.024) were independently associated with lower odds of a successful response to stellate ganglion block. Steroid use was not significantly associated with treatment response (OR 0.52, 95% CI: 0.18–1.49, p = 0.223). The successful response rate declined progressively with the number of risk factors: 94.7% (18/19), 50.0% (22/44), and 40.7% (11/27) for zero, one, and two factors, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Substantial cervical multifidus fatty degeneration and foraminal stenosis attributable to bony hypertrophy may be associated with lower odds of a successful response to stellate ganglion block in patients with cervical radicular pain. These factors require prospective validation before routine clinical implementation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Forward head posture (FHP) has been associated with alterations in cervical sensorimotor function; however, its relationship with trunk muscle activation during dynamic movement tasks remains incompletely understood. This study examined whether individuals with FHP demonstrate differences in the timing and magnitude of trunk muscle activation during a rapid lower-limb movement task. Methods: One hundred asymptomatic young adults (18–25 years) were classified as having normal head posture (NHP; craniovertebral angle (CVA) > 55°) or forward head posture (FHP; CVA < 50°) using PostureScreen^® Mobile. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded bilaterally from the external oblique (EO), lumbar multifidus (MF), and the transversus abdominis/internal oblique region (TrA/IO) during ten externally cued right-leg raises. EMG amplitude and onset latency relative to rectus femoris activation were extracted for each muscle. Two multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) assessed overall group differences in EMG amplitudes and onset latencies. Significant multivariate effects were followed by univariate ANOVAs. Group × Side mixed-model ANOVAs evaluated side-to-side activation patterns. Pearson correlation and regression analyses examined correlations between craniovertebral angle (CVA) and EMG variables. Results: MANOVA revealed significant overall differences between the FHP and NHP groups for EMG amplitude (Wilks’ λ = 0.20, F(6, 93) = 62.14, p < 0.001, η²p = 0.80) and onset latency (Wilks’ λ = 0.10, F(6, 93) = 133.73, p < 0.001, η²p = 0.90). Follow-up ANOVAs showed significant differences for all EMG variables (all p < 0.001), with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 1.0–3.2). Mixed-model ANOVAs demonstrated significant Group × Side interactions (all p < 0.05). CVA showed significant moderate to strong correlations with EMG amplitude and onset latency measures (r = 0.43–0.79). Conclusions: FHP was associated with later trunk muscle activation and altered EMG activation patterns during the leg-raise task, including reduced activity recorded from the TrA/IO region and increased EO activation. These findings suggest FHP is associated with different trunk neuromuscular activation strategies during dynamic tasks. Despite consistent CVA–EMG associations, extreme multicollinearity limits the interpretation of CVA as an independent predictor. Full article

Background: The reliable assessment of cervical muscle morphology is essential for both clinical and research use. However, evidence on the reliability of ultrasound measurements remains limited. Objective: To investigate the intra-rater and test–retest reliability of morphological measurements of the Longus Colli, Sternocleidomastoid, Multifidus Cervicis, and Semispinalis Capitis muscles using musculoskeletal ultrasound. Methods: Cross-sectional area, anteroposterior, and lateral dimensions were assessed using B-mode ultrasound. Anterior neck muscles were scanned in the supine position, while posterior neck muscles were scanned in the prone position. Each muscle was measured three times (to assess intra-rater reliability), which was repeated after 30 min (to assess test–retest reliability). Measurements were also normalized according to BMI and neck circumference. Results: Intra-rater reliability was found to be good to excellent for the Longus Colli (ICC = 0.77–0.92), excellent for the Sternocleidomastoid (ICC = 0.93–0.99), good to excellent for the Semispinalis Capitis (ICC = 0.89–0.97), and moderate to excellent for the Multifidus Cervicis (ICC = 0.69–0.92). Test–retest reliability was found to be moderate to good for the Longus Colli (ICC = 0.73–0.87), good to excellent for the Sternocleidomastoid (ICC = 0.84–0.98), good to excellent for the Semispinalis Capitis (ICC = 0.78–0.95), and good to excellent for the Multifidus Cervicis (ICC = 0.80–0.92). Conclusions: Musculoskeletal ultrasound demonstrates strong reliability for cervical muscle assessment, supporting its clinical use. Full article

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine and compare the capability of several B-mode ultrasound (US) and shear wave elastography (SWE) metrics to differentiate subjects with chronic non-specific neck pain from asymptomatic subjects. Methods: A diagnostic accuracy study recruiting a sample of patients with chronic neck pain and asymptomatic controls was conducted. Data collection included sociodemographic information (i.e., gender, age, height, weight and body mass index), clinical information (pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale and pain-related disability using the Neck Disability Index) and B-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography features of the cervical multifidus muscle (cross-sectional area, perimeter, mean echo intensity, fat infiltration, shear wave speed and Young’s modulus). After analyzing between-group differences for left/right sides, cases and controls, and males and females, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off point, the sensitivity, the specificity, the positive likelihood ratio (LR) and negative LR for each metric were calculated. A total of 316 individuals were recruited in this study (n = 174 cases with neck pain and n = 142 asymptomatic controls). Results: No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between cases and controls for most variables, except for fatty infiltration, which was significantly higher in chronic neck pain cases (p < 0.001). Gender differences were significant across all US and SWE metrics (all, p < 0.001 except p = 0.015 for fatty infiltrates). A slight asymmetry was observed between the left and right sides for area (p = 0.038). No significant interactions between group, gender and side (all metrics, p > 0.008) were identified. Fatty infiltration was the most effective discriminator, with a ROC value of 0.723, indicating acceptable discrimination. The optimal cut-off point for fatty infiltration was 25.77, with a moderate balance between sensitivity (59.8%) and specificity (20.5%). However, its positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 0.75 suggests limited usefulness in confirming the condition. Conclusions: Fatty infiltration was significantly higher in individuals with chronic idiopathic neck pain compared to those without symptoms, while other muscle metrics were similar between both groups. However, since fat infiltration had moderate diagnostic accuracy and the other metrics showed poor discriminatory power, US cannot be used solely to discriminate patients with idiopathic neck pain. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the inter-examiner reliability of shear wave elastography (SWE) for measuring cervical multifidus (CM) muscle stiffness in asymptomatic controls and patients with chronic neck pain. A longitudinal observational study was conducted to assess the diagnostic accuracy of a procedure. SWE images, following a detailed procedure previously tested, were acquired by two examiners (one novice and one experienced) to calculate the shear wave speed (SWS) and Young’s modulus. The painful side was examined for the experimental cases while the side examined in the control group was selected randomly. Data analyses calculated the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), absolute errors between examiners, standard errors of measurement, and minimal detectable changes. A total of 125 participants were analyzed (n = 54 controls and n = 71 cases). The Young’s modulus and SWS measurements obtained by both examiners were comparable within the asymptomatic group (both, p > 0.05) and the chronic neck pain group (both, p > 0.05). Nonetheless, a notable distinction was observed in the absolute error between examiners for shear wave speed measurements among patients with neck pain, where a significant difference was registered (p = 0.045), pointing to a sensitivity in measurement consistency affected by the presence of chronic neck pain. ICCs demonstrated moderate-to-good reliability across both groups, with ICC values for asymptomatic individuals reported as >0.8. Among the chronic neck pain patients, ICC values were slightly lower (>0.780). The study revealed moderate-to-good consistency, highlighting the practicality and generalizability of SWE. Full article

The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in morphological and histological features of the cervical multifidus (CM) and longus colli (LC) muscles among patients with cervical disc bulging, protrusion, or extrusion. Fifteen patients with cervical disc bulging (20% male, mean age: 48.5, standard deviation (SD) 7.5 years), fifteen with cervical disc protrusion (6% male, mean age: 43, SD 7.8 years), and fifteen with cervical disc extrusion (40% male, mean age: 44, SD 8 years) diagnosed via clinical and imaging findings participated in this study. Additionally, fifteen asymptomatic controls (40% male, mean age: 40.4, SD 9.7 years) were also included. The following ultrasound measurements, cross-sectional area (CSA), anterior–posterior distance (APD), lateral dimension (LD), and mean echo-intensity (EI) of the CM and LC at C5-C6 level were examined by an assessor blinded to the subject’s condition. The results revealed no group ×side significant differences among the groups (p > 0. 00625). However, group effects were found for APD and MEI of the CM (p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively) and CSA, APD and MEI of the LC (all, p < 0.001). The LD of the LC muscle and the APD and LD of the CM were negatively associated with related disability (p < 0.01; p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively), and pain intensity was negatively associated with LC APD and LD (both p < 0.05). These results suggest that US can be used to detect bilateral morphological changes in deep cervical flexors and extensors to discriminate patients with cervical disc alterations. Full article

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to compare the thickness of the deep local muscles in the neck region, as well as local and widespread sensitivity and functionality, between individuals with migraine and healthy control subjects. Methods: An observational study was carried out in accordance with the STROBE statements. The flexor longus colli and multifidus, two neck-stabilizing muscles, were measured using B-mode ultrasound imaging. The upper trapezius, masseter, temporalis, anterior tibialis, and median nerve all underwent bilateral pressure-pain threshold (PPT) assessments. The statistical program SPSS 29.0 was used to implement the Mann–Whitney U test and Chi-squared test. Spearman Rho was utilized to establish the correlations between the variables. Results: Sixty participants were enrolled in the study. The subjects, who were matched in terms of age, gender, and body mass index (BMI), were equally divided into migraine and control groups. No significant differences between the groups were found in the multifidus CSA regarding both sides at rest (right: p = 0.625; left: p = 0.203). However, in contraction, the multifidus CSA showed a significant decrease on the left side in the patients with migraine compared to the controls (p = 0.032), but no significant differences were found in the right multifidus CSA in contraction between the two groups (p = 0.270). In comparison to the healthy volunteers, the migraine sufferers showed a substantial reduction in CSA in the longus colli muscle on both the left side (p = 0.001) and the right side at rest (p = 0.003), as well as in the CSA of the left longus colli in contraction (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the migraine patients showed significantly lower PPT compared to the healthy subjects in local and widespread areas bilaterally. All the parameters revealed higher sensitization in the migraine group in the following areas: the right and left temporal regions (p < 0.001), the right and left upper trapezius (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively), the right and left masseter muscles (p < 0.01), the right and left median nerves (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively), and the right and left anterior tibialis muscles (p < 0.001). In terms of the craniocervical flexion test (CCFT), the migraine patients demonstrated significantly lower values than the healthy subjects (p < 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was noted between the PPT in the right temporalis muscle and that in the left longus colli and the right multifidus in contraction. The PPT in the right temporalis muscle also exhibited a positive correlation with the CCFT, although this correlation was low. Between the PPT values, the upper trapezius on both sides showed a moderate positive correlation with the median nerve bilaterally. Conclusions: This research suggests that individuals with migraine may experience local and widespread pain sensitization. A decrease in functionality due to the low muscle endurance of the deep cervical muscles is also accompanied by low values of muscle thickness in contraction. These findings may help to select more accurate treatment approaches for patients with migraine. Full article

Ultrasound imaging (US) is a widely used imaging tool in physiotherapy for assessing muscle morphology and quality, among other purposes, such as ensuring the patients’ safety during invasive procedures or providing visual feedback during motor control exercises. Identifying factors associated with measurement errors is essential to target avoid bias in high-risk of bias populations. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether demographic, clinical, muscular and histological factors are associated with ultrasound measurement errors in patients with idiopathic chronic neck pain. B-mode images were acquired and analyzed in 126 patients with chronic neck pain by two experienced examiners. Cross-sectional area, muscle perimeter, mean echo intensity and percentage of fatty infiltration were analyzed. The interexaminer agreement was assessed by calculating the absolute error, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable changes (MDC). A Pearson’s correlation matrix including all variables was calculated to conduct a multivariate linear stepwise regression model for estimating the explained variance for each measurement error. Results demonstrated excellent reliability (ICC = 0.965) for assessing the cross-sectional area, and good reliability for assessing the muscle perimeter, mean echo intensity and intramuscular infiltrates estimation (ICC = 0.898, 0.882 and 0.758, respectively). Although clinical variables were not associated with measurement errors (p > 0.05), multiple correlations were found between demographic and cervical multifidus characteristics with measurement errors. Full article

Background: Chronic non-specific neck pain (CINP) is common, but the etiology remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between cervical muscle composition (cervical multifidus and longus capitis/longus colli), morphometry, range of movement, muscle function, and disability severity (Neck Disability Index) in patients with CINP. Methods: From September 2020 to July 2021, subjects underwent cervical MRI and clinical tests (cervical range of motion, cranio-cervical flexion test, neck flexor, and extensor muscle endurance). MRI analysis comprised muscle cross-sectional area, volume, and fat infiltration of multifidus and longus colli between C4 and C7 levels. Results: Twenty-five participants were included. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that NDI was positively correlated with the volume percentage of fat infiltration of the multifidus (B = 0.496), negatively correlated with fat-free muscle volume of the multifidus normalized by subject height (B = −0.230), and accounted for 32% of the variance. There was no relationship between neck disability and longus capitis/longus colli morphology. We also found no relationship between neck disability scores, neck flexor or extensor muscle endurance, or the outcome motor control test of craniocervical flexion (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Neck disability was moderately correlated with the percentage of fat volume in the multifidus muscle and fat-free volume of the multifidus. There was no relationship between NDI scores and muscle function test outcomes or any fat or volume measures pertaining to the longus colli muscle. Full article

Background and objectives: Chronic tension-type headache (TTH) is the type of headache with the highest prevalence. The involvement of musculoskeletal structures in TTH is supported by evidence in the scientific literature. Among these, deep cervical muscle strength appears to be related to the function of the cervical spine and the clinical characteristics of TTH. This study aimed to correlate anatomical, functional, and psychological variables in patients with TTH. Materials and methods: An observational descriptive study was carried out with 22 participants diagnosed with TTH for at least six months. The characteristics of headaches, including ultrasound-based deep neck flexor and extensor muscle thickness, range of motion (ROM), and pressure pain threshold (PPT), were recorded. We also conducted the Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire (PVAQ) and the Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT). Results: Moderate–large negative correlations were found between the PVAQ and the muscle thickness of right deep flexors contracted (r = −0.52; p = 0.01), left multifidus contracted (r = −0.44; p = 0.04), right multifidus at rest (r = −0.48; p = 0.02), and right multifidus contracted (r = −0.45; p = 0.04). Moderate–large positive correlations were found between the CCFT score and the left cervical rotation ROM (r = 0.53; p = 0.01), right cervical rotation ROM (r = 0.48; p = 0.03), muscle thickness of left multifidus contracted (r = 0.50; p = 0.02), and muscle thickness of right multifidus at rest (r = 0.51; p = 0.02). The muscle thickness of the contracted right deep cervical flexors showed a moderate negative correlation with headache intensity (r = −0.464; p = 0.03). No correlations were found between PPT and the rest of the variables analyzed. Conclusions: In patients with TTH, a higher thickness of deep cervical muscles was associated with higher ROM and higher scores in the CCFT. In turn, the thickness of deep cervical muscles showed negative correlations with pain hypervigilance and headache intensity. These results contribute to a better understanding of the physical and psychosocial factors contributing to the development of TTH, which is useful for implementing appropriate prevention and treatment measures. Full article

Previous studies analyzing morphometry of posterior cervical muscles with ultrasound (US) imaging have mainly used Brightness mode (B-mode). Our aim was to investigate the intra-examiner reliability of panoramic US imaging for assessing posterior-lateral cervical muscle layers. Panoramic US images of the neck at C4/C5 level were acquired in 25 asymptomatic subjects (40% women; mean age: 24 years) by an experienced assessor. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the upper trapezius, splenius, semispinalis, multifidi, rotators, and levator scapulae was measured from panoramic US scans on two separate days. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC3,1), standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC) and mean, absolute and percent errors were calculated. In general, intra-examiner reliability was excellent with ICC3,1 ranging from 0.978 (trapezius) to 0.993 (semispinalis). The SEM ranged from 0.02 (multifidus) to 0.07 (semispinalis/levator), whereas the MDC ranged from 0.05 (cervical multifidus) to 0.19 (levator/semispinalis). Absolute error was lower than 0.11 cm² (levator/semispinalis). No differences between males and females were found. This study found that intra-examiner/rater reliability of panoramic US imaging was excellent for assessing the CSA of the posterior-lateral neck extensor muscles in asymptomatic subjects. The current findings suggest that panoramic US may be a reliable technique for examining the size of the cervical extensor muscles in both males and females. Full article