Degradation of cervical joint position sense following muscular fatigue in humans.
METHODS
Before and after intervention trials.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of cervical muscular fatigue on joint position sense.


BACKGROUND
Although fatigue-related degradation of proprioceptive acuity at lower and upper limbs is well documented, to date no study has investigated whether muscular fatigue induced at the neck could modify joint position sense.


METHODS
A total of 9 young healthy adults were asked to perform the cervicocephalic relocation test to the neutral head position, that is, to relocate the head on the trunk, as accurately as possible, after full active cervical rotation to the left and right sides. This experimental task was executed in 2 conditions of No fatigue and Fatigue of the scapula elevator muscles. Absolute and variable errors were used to assess the cervical joint repositioning accuracy and consistency, respectively.


RESULTS
Less accurate and less consistent repositioning performances were observed in Fatigue relative to No fatigue condition, as indicated by increased absolute and variable errors, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of the present experiment evidence that cervical joint position sense, assessed through the cervicocephalic relocation test to the neutral head position, is degraded by muscular fatigue.
Pinsault
Nicolas
N
AFIRM Team, TIMC-IMAG Laboratory, UMR UJF CNRS 5525, La Tronche, France.
Vuillerme
Nicolas
N
D000328:Adult; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult