Pulmonary Function of Patients with Chronic Neck Pain: A Spirometry Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chronic neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal pain conditions experienced by many people during their lives. Although patients with neck pain are managed predominantly as musculoskeletal patients, there are indications that they also have poor pulmonary function. The aim of this study was to examine whether patients with chronic neck pain have spirometric abnormalities and whether neck pain problems and psychological states are associated with these abnormalities. METHODS: Forty-five participants with chronic neck pain and 45 wellmatched healthy controls were recruited. Spirometry was used to assess participants' pulmonary function. Neck muscle strength, endurance of deep neck flexors, cervical range of motion, forward head posture, psychological states, disability, and pain intensity were also evaluated. RESULTS: The results showed that patients with chronic neck pain yielded significantly reduced vital capacity, FVC, expiratory reserve volume, and maximum voluntary ventilation (P < .05), but peak expiratory flow, FEV 1 , and FEV 1 /FVC ratio were not affected (P > .05). Strength of neck muscles, pain intensity, and kinesiophobia were found to be significantly correlated (r > 0.3, P < .05) with respiratory function. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic neck pain do not have optimal pulmonary function. Cervical spine muscle dysfunction in parallel with pain intensity and kinesiophobia are factors that are associated mainly with this respiratory dysfunction.

Do male and female patients with chronic neck pain really have different health‐related physical fitness, depression, anxiety and quality of life parameters?

“…The authors suggested that patients with CNP do not have optimal pulmonary function. In contrast with the aforementioned studies, we found no significant difference regarding all PFTs between the patients and controls either both gender (Table ). Because neck muscles are not used actively in normal breathing, we think that pulmonary functions are unaffected by neck pain in patients with CNP.…”

“…found a weakness in the respiratory muscles of patients with CNP. In another study, they compared the PFTs between individuals with neck pain and healthy controls . They found that the values for vital capacity, FVC, expiratory reserve volume and MVV were lower than in controls, but PEF, FEV 1 and FEV 1 /FVC ratio were not different between the groups.…”

Determining the relationship of kinesiophobia with respiratory functions and functional capacity in ankylosing spondylitis

“…While the study analyzed the changes in respiratory functions in individuals with chronic neck pain, it showed that VC, ERV, FVC, and maximal voluntary ventilation parameters were lower in individuals with neck pain, and considering the relationship between TKS and the decrease in the parameters, they found that it was negatively related to VC and maximal voluntary ventilation, and not related to the PEF value. [33] No study was found to be investigating the relationship between kinesiophobia and respiratory functions in individuals with AS.…”

Differences of Spinal Curvature, Thoracic Mobility, and Respiratory Strength Between Chronic Neck Pain Patients and People Without Cervical Pain

“…Vital capacity and functional vital capacity are significantly lower, and maximal voluntary ventilation is also lower, in CNP patients than in people without CNP [3,4]. It was revealed that respiratory muscle strength has a significant correlation with CNP [4][5][6].…”

“…In addition to musculoskeletal pain, neck pain is also associated with dizziness, anxiety, and depression, and is known to cause disability in daily life [2]. Recently, some evidences showing that pulmonary function is reduced in patients with chronic neck pain (CNP) have been reported [3][4][5][6].…”