title: Decreased thickness of the lower trapezius muscle in patients with unilateral neck pain.
abstract: Thickness of the lower trapezius muscle in patients with neck pain has not been established. We examined the thickness of the lower trapezius muscle in patients with and without unilateral neck pain.
  
  
  
  Twenty women with unilateral (right) neck pain and 20 matched controls participated in the study. Thickness of the lower trapezius muscles was measured bilaterally at rest (0 ° and 120 ° of shoulder abduction) and during contraction (120 ° of shoulder abduction) using ultrasound imaging.
  
  
  
  The neck pain group had smaller thickness of the lower trapezius muscle on the painful side compared with controls both at rest and during contraction (P < 0.05). However, the percentage change in the lower trapezius thickness from rest to contraction (120 ° of shoulder abduction) was not different between groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  
  Patients with neck pain had smaller thickness of the lower trapezius muscle on the painful side compared with healthy controls. Muscle Nerve 54: 439-443, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200.|Back, Neck and Other Joint Pain Research Group, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sureeporn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uthaikhup
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200.
authors.forename: Chalomjai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pensri
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200.
authors.forename: Kanokon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawsoiy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D064171:Superficial Back Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: lower trapezius; muscle size; neck pain; scapular muscle; thickness; ultrasound imaging