title: Sagittal alignment of the cervical spine after neck injury.
abstract: The normal sagittal alignment of the cervical spine is lordotic and is affected by the posture of the head and neck. The question of whether loss of cervical lordosis is the result of muscle spasm after injury or a normal variation, and the clinical significance of such changes in sagittal profile of the cervical spine has been an issue of several studies. The purpose of this paper is to study the incidence of normal cervical lordosis and its changes after neck injury compared to the healthy population. We studied the lateral radiographs of the cervical spine of 60 patients with neck injury compared to 100 patients without a neck injury. Lateral radiographs were obtained in the standing or sitting position, and the curvature of the cervical spine was measured using the angle formed between the inferior end plates of the C2 and C7 vertebrae. In the patients without neck injury, lordotic and straight cervical spine sagittal alignment was observed in 36.5% each, double curvature in 17%, and kyphotic in 10%. In the patients with neck injury, lordotic sagittal alignment was observed in 36%, straight in 34%, double curvature in 26% and kyphotic in 4%. No significant difference between the two groups regarding all types of sagittal alignment of the cervical spine was found (p > 0.100). The alterations in normal cervical lordosis in patients with neck injury must be considered coincidental. These alterations should not be associated with muscle spasm caused by neck pain.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Thriasio Hospital, 19600, Elefsis, Greece. mpelmi@gmail.com
authors: Michail
authors: M
authors: Beltsios
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Savvidou
authors: Evanthia A
authors: EA
authors: Mitsiokapa
authors: Andreas F
authors: AF
authors: Mavrogenis
authors: Angelos
authors: A
authors: Kaspiris
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Efstathopoulos
authors: Panayiotis J
authors: PJ
authors: Papagelopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D056888:Patient Positioning; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013035:Spasm / Q000209:etiology; D013121:Spinal Curvatures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology