title: Cervical motion in patients with chronic disorders of the cervical spine: a reproducibility study.
abstract: METHODS
  Test-retest of cervical motion in patients with chronic disorders of the cervical spine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the reproducibility of cervical motion and examine the feasibility of its representation by a single parameter.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Reproducibility of cervical motion findings has been largely limited to normal subjects, leaving a conspicuous void regarding the measurement error in clinical groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 2 groups of 25 chronic patients with whiplash and degenerative changes of the cervical spine tested twice (4-7 days). Head movement was measured along the 6 directions, as well as during rotation out of flexion and extension (cervical degenerative changes only).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to normal subjects, both groups had a 25% to 35% reduction in cervical motion. High intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) (range 0.8-0.92) were derived for all directions. The ICCs for rotation out of flexion and extension were low. The relative standard error of measurement ranged from 15% to 28% for all directions, whereas the corresponding scores of the total cervical motion excursion were 10.6 (cervical degenerative changes) and 13.6% (whiplash).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Judged by the ICCs cervical motion, findings were reproducible. However, in view of the measurement error as well as the homogenous reductions, total cervical range of motion should be considered a suitable parameter for interpretation of cervical motion limitations in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel. zdvir@post.tau.ac.il
authors.forename: Zeevi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dvir
authors.forename: Noga
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gal-Eshel
authors.forename: Boaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shamir
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Prushansky
authors.forename: Evgeny
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pevzner
authors.forename: Chava
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peretz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012399:Rotation; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*