title: Reduced mobility in the cervico-thoracic motion segment--a risk factor for musculoskeletal neck-shoulder pain: a two-year prospective follow-up study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the variations in C7-T1 mobility in order to decide whether inverse C7-T1 function, defined as equal or less mobility in motion segment C7-T1 compared with T1-T2, could be used for prediction of neck-shoulder pain (NSP). One hundred and sixty-one female laundry workers participated in a prospective two-year follow-up study which included a self-report questionnaire and clinical examinations. The present study showed that the incidence of inverse C7-T1 function was 33% per year and subjects classified as having an inverse C7-T1 function three or more times during the follow-up period had an elevated risk of NSP (RR 3.1, CI 95% 1.1-6.9). According to the authors' interpretation, lack of synchronous mobility distribution between adjacent motion segments might be a provoking factor. Inverse C7-T1 function predicts NSP related to the cervico-thoracic articulations and yields a positive predictive value of 84%. Assessments must be repeated, however.
authors.affiliation: Research Foundation for Working Environment in the Swedish Construction Industry, Stockholm.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norlander
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gustavsson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindell
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nordgren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007846:Laundering; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012307:Risk Factors; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*