title: Head repositioning accuracy to neutral: a comparative study of error calculation.
abstract: Deficits in cervical proprioception have been identified in subjects with neck pain through the measure of head repositioning accuracy (HRA). Nevertheless there appears to be no general consensus regarding the construct of measurement of error used for calculating HRA. This study investigated four different mathematical methods of measurement of error to determine if there were any differences in their ability to discriminate between a control group and subjects with a whiplash associated disorder. The four methods for measuring cervical joint position error were calculated using a previous data set consisting of 50 subjects with whiplash complaining of dizziness (WAD D), 50 subjects with whiplash not complaining of dizziness (WAD ND) and 50 control subjects. The results indicated that no one measure of HRA uniquely detected or defined the differences between the whiplash and control groups. Constant error (CE) was significantly different between the whiplash and control groups from extension (p<0.05). Absolute errors (AEs) and root mean square errors (RMSEs) demonstrated differences between the two WAD groups in rotation trials (p<0.05). No differences were seen with variable error (VE). The results suggest that a combination of AE (or RMSE) and CE are probably the most suitable measures for analysis of HRA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiotherapy, The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Pål
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Tor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baardsen
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kulvik
authors.forename: Gwendolen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jull
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Treleaven
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D026241:Exercise Movement Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000517:prevention & control; D007699:Kinesthesis; D008297:Male; D020393:Manipulation, Spinal / Q000379:methods*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004856:Postural Balance; D012399:Rotation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*