Objective evaluation of neck muscle tension and static balance in patients with chronic dizziness

Abstract

Conclusion: Increase in the average value of bilateral neck muscle tension (ANT) indicates the increase in neck muscle tension to stabilize static posture resulting from vestibular compensation. Asymmetry of neck muscle tension was closely related to postural imbalance. Objective: Patients with dizziness often complain of neck symptoms with stiff neck. This study was conducted to clarify the pathophysiological mechanism of neck symptoms in patients with dizziness. Methods: We objectively measured bilateral trapezius muscle tension in patients with chronic dizziness and determined its relationship with static postural perturbation. The study included 26 patients with chronic dizziness caused by unilateral vestibular deficit and 24 healthy controls. The tension of bilateral trapezius muscles was objectively measured using a neck muscle tension meter. ANT and the ratio (right/left) of the bilateral neck muscle tension (RNT) were calculated. Static posturography was performed to measure total length of path (LNG). Results: ANT was negatively correlated to LNG under the eyes closed (EC) condition only in the case of the patients (r = -0.44, p < 0.05). In the case of both the controls and the patients with a unilateral vestibular deficit, RNT was positively correlated to LNG under the EC condition.

Dizziness, Unsteadiness, Visual Disturbances, and Sensorimotor Control in Traumatic Neck Pain

“…Other considerations are the potential for primary cervical afferent disturbances leading to secondary vestibular impairments, 37,97 primary vestibular or visual impairments influencing the cervical spine, 2,89,131 and the presence of concomitant cervical, visual, vestibular, and or mild brain deficits such as those seen following concussion.…”

The value of vestibular graviceptive pathway evaluation in the diagnosis of unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction

“…In the present study, we found that the relapsing remitting phases of UPVD were associated with HT. Asama et al (2012) showed that vestibular compensation for VCR occurred in patients with chronic dizziness, further increasing proprioceptive afference from the neck muscles to the vestibular nucleus, they believe that the asymmetry of the neck muscle tension could reflect the bilateral asymmetry of vestibular function, and the increase in the asymmetry of the neck muscle tension is intended to compensate for postural stability, that is, vestibular compensation can cause HT in patients after the peripheral vestibular function is impaired on one side. Further dynamic studies with a large sample size are needed to explore the relationship between HT and disease duration.…”

Usporedba dviju fizioterapijskih metoda kod nespecifične boli u vratu

“…Najnovija istraživanja uz primjenu modernih uređaja (posturografija, konzola Nintendo Wii) pokazuju da tretiranje poremećaja ravnoteže može djelovati na smanjenje boli i povećanje pokretljivosti vrata. [26][27][28] U Krapinskim toplicama primjenjuju se dvije terapijske metode nastale kombinacijom nekoliko tehnika u tretmanu nespecifične boli u vratu. Jednu metodu provodi fizioterapeut kroz manipulaciju mišića vrata, trakciju i mobilizaciju vrata.…”