Evolving Dynamics of Neck Muscle Activation Patterns in Dental Students: A Longitudinal Study

Autor: Manuel Barbosa de Almeida, Marion Moreira, Paulo Miranda-Oliveira, José Moreira, Carlos Família, João R. Vaz, Paula Moleirinho-Alves, Raúl Oliveira
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Sensors, Vol 24, Iss 17, p 5689 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1424-8220
DOI: 10.3390/s24175689
Popis: Cervical pain has been linked to increased motor unit activity, potentially associated with the initiation and progression of chronic neck pain. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the time-course changes in cervical superficial muscle activation patterns among dental students with and without neck pain throughout their initial semester of clinical training. We used an online Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire for group allocation between neck pain (NP) (n = 21) and control group (CG) (n = 23). Surface electromyography (sEMG) of the sternocleidomastoid and upper bilateral trapezius was recorded before starting their clinical practice and after their first semester while performing a cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT) in five increasing levels between 22 mmHg and 30 mmHg. After the first semester, both the CG (p < 0.001) and NP (p = 0.038) groups showed decreased sternocleidomastoid activation. The NP group exhibited a concomitant increase in upper trapezius coactivation (p < 0.001), whereas the muscle activation pattern in asymptomatic students remained unchanged (p = 0.980). During the first semester of clinical training, dental students exhibited decreased superficial flexor activity, but those with neck pain had increased co-contraction of the upper trapezius, likely to stabilize the painful segment. This altered activation pattern could be associated with further dysfunction and symptoms, potentially contributing to chronicity.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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