Decreased strength and mobility in patients after anterior cervical diskectomy compared with healthy subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether patients acquired normal physical function after cervical disk prolapse and surgery compared with healthy matched controls.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Hospital in central Finland.


METHODS
Fifty-three patients with cervical diskectomy and 53 healthy matched controls.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Postoperative physical function was studied by measuring muscle strength and range of motion (ROM) values of the neck and grip strength. Disability was assessed by the neck and shoulder pain index and by the Oswestry index, mood by the Short Depression Inventory; and pain on a visual analog scale (VAS).


RESULTS
Most patients recovered well after the operation. Forty-three percent of the patients still experienced moderate or high pain (VAS score, >30mm). Subjective pain and disability were associated with decreased neck movement and strength. Both ROM and cervical muscle strength values were significantly lower (P<.001) in all the measured directions in cervical disk surgery patients compared with healthy controls. ROM was mostly confined in extension (25%). Muscle strength of the neck was mostly confined in both rotation directions (38%). No statistically significant difference in grip strength was found between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The loss of muscle strength and ROM is clearly visible postoperatively and thus the effectiveness of the early identification and rehabilitation of these deficits merits further studies.
Ylinen
Jari J
JJ
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabiltation, Jyväskylä, Finland. jari.ylinen@ksshp.fi
Savolainen
Sakari
S
Airaksinen
Olavi
O
Kautiainen
Hannu
H
Salo
Petri
P
Häkkinen
Arja
A
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009334:Neck Muscles; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012399:Rotation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome