title: The Effect of Target Position on the Accuracy of Cervical-Spine-Rotation Active Joint-Position Sense.
abstract: The cervical spine can be divided into upper and lower units, each making a different contribution to the magnitude of rotation and proprioception. However, few studies have examined the effect of the cervical-rotation positions on proprioception.
  
  
  
  To compare cervical-spine rotation active joint-position sense (AJPS) near midrange of motion (mid-ROM; 30°) and near end-ROM (60°).
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  
  Human performance research laboratory.
  
  
  
  53 military helicopter pilots (age 28.4 ± 6.2 y, height 175.3 ± 9.3 cm, weight 80.1 ± 11.8 kg).
  
  
  
  A motion-analysis system was used to record cervical-rotation kinematics. Subjects sat in a chair wearing a headband and blindfold. First, they actively rotated the head right or left to a target position (30°/60°), with real-time verbal cues provided by the tester. Subjects held the target position for 5 s and then returned to the start position. After this, they replicated the target position as closely as possible. Five trials were performed in both directions to both target positions (R30/R60/L30/L60). Order of direction/position was randomized. The difference between target and replicated positions was calculated and defined as absolute error (AE), and the mean of 5 trials was used for analyses. Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests were used to compare AJPS at the different target positions (P < .0125 with Bonferroni adjustments).
  
  
  
  End-ROM AEs were significantly more accurate than mid-ROM AEs (P = .001).
  
  
  
  Cervical-spine-rotation AJPS is more accurate near end-ROM than mid-ROM. Both target positions should be used to examine cervical-spine-rotation AJPS of both the upper and lower units.
authors: Dept of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Nagai
authors: Nicholas C
authors: NC
authors: Clark
authors: John P
authors: JP
authors: Abt
authors: Timothy C
authors: TC
authors: Sell
authors: Nicholas R
authors: NR
authors: Heebner
authors: Brian W
authors: BW
authors: Smalley
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Wirt
authors: Scott M
authors: SM
authors: Lephart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D011434:Proprioception; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012399:Rotation; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000502:physiology*