Reliability of isometric strength measurements in trunk and neck region: patients with chronic neck pain compared with pain-free persons.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of reliability of isometric strength measurements in the neck and trunk region and comparison of these measurements between patients with chronic neck pain and pain-free subjects.


METHODS
Nonrandomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Institutional practice.


METHODS
Patients with neck pain (n=53) and pain-free persons (n=42) (mean age ± SD, 49.7±10.74 vs 48.7±12.02; women, 73% vs 71%).


METHODS
Strength of flexion, extension, and lateral flexion in the neck and trunk were measured. Each participant underwent 2 measurement passes on each of 2 examination days; 3 were performed by the same investigator, 1 by a second.


METHODS
Intrarater (short-term and long-term) and interrater reliability, differences in strength between both groups of probands.


RESULTS
Reliability in both groups ranged from substantial to almost perfect (intraclass correlation coefficient: patients, .76-.89; control group, .80-.88). The patients' strength in the neck and trunk was significantly below that of the control group (P<.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Isometric strength measurement is a reliable and feasible way to estimate the possible benefit of specific strengthening programs. Patients with chronic neck pain showed strength deficits in all measured regions.
Center of Excellence for Orthopedic Pain management Speising, Vienna, Austria. raphael.scheuer@oss.at
Raphael
R
Scheuer
Martin
M
Friedrich
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013909:Thorax / Q000503:physiopathology