Cervical spine rotation and range of motion: pilot measurements during driving.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have evaluated the cervical range of axial rotation during simulated driving conditions. The goals of this pilot study were to describe cervical spine rotation during in-car driving and determine the percentage of time outside neutral neck rotation and peak cervical axial rotation angles that the subjects adopted during various driving conditions.


METHODS
Subjects drove around a specified route through the city of Guelph, Ontario, which included residential, thruway, and highway driving; additional minor driving tasks, such as lane changes, were also included. The cervical range of motion was measured continuously throughout the drive using an electromagnetic sensor; we also used videotape to document the specific driving tasks.


RESULTS
The subjects spent 87.0 percent (SD=8.8) of time with their cervical spine in the neutral axial rotation position (±15 degrees). The percentage of time that the subjects spent outside of the neutral range of cervical axial rotation depended upon the driving section (including residential, thruway, and highway), and driving task being performed (starts, stops, and lane changes). The subjects spent a significantly greater proportion of time with their necks rotated beyond neutral during residential driving compared to thruway and highway driving (19.1% SD=8.3 vs. 10.7% SD=9.5 and 9.3% SD=8.7, respectively; p<.001). During driving, the peak angles of cervical axial rotation were an average of 35.7 degrees (SD=14.2) left and 42.5 degrees (SD=18.0) right.


CONCLUSIONS
We observed a large degree of variability in cervical axial rotation during driving. We observed that most of the driving tasks related to stopping had increased proportion of time out of neutral rotation. Also, right-hand lane changes increased time out of neutral rotation more than left-hand lane changes. Drivers routinely adopt nonneutral head positions (on average 13% of the time); this is likely not enough to lead to injury.
Joint Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Jarrod A J
JA
Shugg
Christopher D
CD
Jackson
James P
JP
Dickey
D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012399:Rotation; D013997:Time Factors; D014743:Videotape Recording; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology