Neck pain causes respiratory dysfunction
Section snippets
Background
Although not life-threatening, spinal pain constitutes a significant epidemiological and economic problem, which appears to be growing despite improvements in diagnosis and therapy [1]. Neck pain and headaches of cervical origin are complaints affecting an increasing number of the general population. It is clear that they are very common and have a considerable impact on the health and quality of life of individuals and on society as a whole [2].
Literature presents a reduction of neck muscle
The hypothesis
The patient with neck pain presents a number of factors that could constitute a predisposition of leading to a respiratory dysfunction (Fig. 1). These factors are (a) the decreased strength of deep neck flexors and extensors, (b) the hyperactivity and increased fatigability of superficial neck flexors (especially SCM and AS), (c) the limitation of range of motion, (d) the decrease in proprioception and neuromuscular disturbances, (e) the existence of pain and (f) the psychosocial influence of
Evaluation of hypothesis
The impact of neck pain on respiratory function could be expressed by means of a number of different components. According to the hypothesis, rib cage mechanisms, strength and neuromuscular coordination of respiratory muscles and spirometric values are expected to have been influenced in a varied proportion. The current hypothesis is supported by a pilot study that examined the existence of a correlation between faulty breathing and musculoskeletal pain patterns [45]. Abdominal and chest
Relevance to clinical practice
The presumptive connection of neck pain and respiratory function could have a great impact on various clinical aspects notably patient assessment, rehabilitation and consumption of pharmacological agents. In terms of assessment, all the different components of respiratory function should be included, aiming to gather a representative wholesome perspective of patients’ problems. Besides, rehabilitation should embody respiratory implements, not merely dealing with the musculoskeletal dysfunction.
References (46)
- et al.
Myoelectric manifestations of sternocleidomastoid and anterior scalene muscle fatigue in chronic neck pain patients
Clin Neurophysiol
(2003) - et al.
Lack of correlation between sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscle fatigability and duration of symptoms in chronic neck pain patients
Neurophysiol Clin
(2004) - et al.
Normal global motion of the cervical spine: an electrogoniometer study
Clin Biomech
(1999) Mental disorders in people with chronic pain: an international perspective
Pain
(2007)- et al.
Mental disorders among persons with chronic back or neck pain: results from the World Mental Health Surveys
Pain
(2007) - et al.
Variations in the axis of motion during head repositioning – A comparison of subjects with whiplash-associated disorders or non-specific neck pain and healthy controls
Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon)
(2007) - et al.
Movement and stability dysfunction – contemporary developments
Man Ther
(2001) - et al.
The anterior cruciate ligament deficiency as a model of brain plasticity
Med Hypotheses
(2006) - et al.
Unilateral lower limb injury: its long-term effects on quadriceps, hamstring, and plantarflexor muscle strength
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(1999) - et al.
Changes in soleus motoneuron pool excitability after artificial knee joint effusion
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(2000)
Ventilatory response to intractable pain
Pain
Pain and faulty breathing a pilot study
J Bodywork Mov Ther
The back pain revolution
Quality of life and cost of care of back pain patients in Finnish general practice
Spine
Cervical headache: an investigation of natural head posture and upper cervical flexor muscle performance
Cephalalgia
Further clinical clarification of the muscle dysfunction in cervical headache
Cephalalgia
The influence of the cervical spine on chronic headache in women: a pilot study
J Man Manip Ther
A physiotherapy test package for assessing back and neck dysfunction-discriminative ability for patients versus healthy control subjects
Physiother Res Int
Cervical electromyogram profile differences between patients of neck pain and control
Spine
Physical impairments in cervicogenic headache: traumatic vs. nontraumatic onset
Cephalalgia
Deep cervical flexor muscle dysfunction in whiplash
J Musculoskeletal Pain
Patients with chronic neck pain demonstrate altered patterns of muscle activation during performance of a functional upper limb task
Spine
Neuromuscular efficiency of the sternocleidomastoid and anterior scalene muscles in patients with chronic neck pain
Disabil Rehabil
Cited by (68)
Effect of diaphragmatic breathing, respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics and conventional physiotherapy on chest expansion, pulmonary function and pain in patients with mechanical neck pain: A single group pre pretest-posttest quasi-experimental pilot study
2023, Journal of Bodywork and Movement TherapiesPulmonary Functions in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain: A Case-Control Study
2022, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological TherapeuticsCitation Excerpt :Moreover, the impairment of proprioception in patients with chronic neck pain may alter neuro-motor patterns.9-12 Alterations in neuro-motor patterns, changes in rib cage mechanics, and/or changes in the force-length curve of the respiratory muscles may lead to the development of respiratory dysfunctions or abnormalities in patients with chronic neck pain.9,11-13 There are limited studies aiming to clarify the effects of chronic neck pain on pulmonary function, and there appears to be no consensus among the results of these studies.11,13,15,16
The correlation between scapulocostal syndrome and masticatory myofascial pain on selected pain and functional parameters- an observational study
2022, Journal of Bodywork and Movement TherapiesEffectiveness of standard cervical physiotherapy plus diaphragm manual therapy on pain in patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized controlled trial
2021, Journal of Bodywork and Movement TherapiesCitation Excerpt :Kapreli hypothesized a number of factors presented by patients with CNP that could contribute to the development of respiratory dysfunctions. These factors are decreased strength of deep neck flexors and extensors, hyperactivity and increased fatigability of superficial neck flexors (especially sternocleidomastoid and anterior scalene), limitation of range of motion, decrease in proprioception and neuromuscular disturbances, presence of pain and psychosocial dysfunction (Kapreli et al., 2008, 2009). Dimitriadis summarized the current evidence regarding respiratory function in patients with CNP; studies in this review report that this kind of patient can present with dysfunction of the respiratory system even if it cannot be classified as pathological (Dimitriadis et al., 2016).
A multidimensional strategy to managing dysfunctional breathing and exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction in adolescent athletes
2024, BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation