Clinical Signs and Changes in Cervical Muscles Activity Evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging During an Endurance Test

Comparison and Correlation of Clinical Signs With Changes in the Activity of the Cervical Muscles Evaluated by Muscle Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging During the Cervical Cervical Extensor Endurance Test

The aim of this present study is to compare the radio-clinic correlation between the ability to hold the head and neck (by inertial sensor) and the changes in neck muscles activity (by functional magnetic resonance imaging) during the cervical extensor endurance test between an asymptomatic population and one suffering from chronic neck pain.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Neck Disability Index score > 8/50 for the symptomatic group OR < 4/50 for the asymptomatic group
• numerical rating scale < 7/10 for the symptomatic group
• suffering from idiopathic or traumatic chronic neck pain for the neck pain group OR being free of neck pain which required therapeutic, medical or medicinal treatment in the last 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

• fibromyalgia, cervical radiculopathy, previous cervical surgery