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. 2017 May-Jun;21(3):206-211.
doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.04.003. Epub 2017 Apr 19.

Comparison of cervical muscle thickness between asymptomatic women with and without forward head posture

Fateme Bokaee  1 , Asghar Rezasoltani  2 , Farideh D Manshadi  3 , Sedigheh S Naimi  3 , Alireza A Baghban  4 , Hadi Azimi  5
Affiliations

Comparison of cervical muscle thickness between asymptomatic women with and without forward head posture

Fateme Bokaee et al. Braz J Phys Ther. 2017 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Forward head posture (FHP) is a forward positioning of the head relative to the trunk in the sagittal plane. This posture is one of the most prevalent poor postures in patients with head and neck pain. Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging (RUSI) is a reliable method to objectively evaluate muscle thickness and function.

Objective: To compare thickness of cervical muscles that control both head and neck posture between asymptomatic women with and without FHP.

Methods: Seventy asymptomatic women aged between 20 and 40 years, with and without FHP (35 in each group), participated in the study. The thickness of the cervical muscles (rectus capitis posterior - RCP, oblique capitis superior - OCS, semispinalis capitis - SSC, sternocleidomastoid - SCM, and longus coli - LCo) was measured using RUSI and the data was compared between the two groups.

Results: The comparison of cervical muscle thickness between women with and without FHP revealed significant difference only with regard to the muscle thickness of the SCM muscle (mean difference: 0.7mm, 95% confidence interval of the difference: 0.14, 1.26mm, p value: 0.014). The thickness of this muscle was greater in women with FHP.

Conclusion: Tonic contraction of the SCM muscle can lead to greater thickness of this muscle in subjects with FHP.

Keywords: Cervical; Forward head posture; Muscle; Thickness.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic picture of assessment of craniovertebral angle.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Ultrasonographic image of the rectus capitis posterior, oblique capitis superior, and semispinalis capitis muscles (RCP, rectus capitis posterior; OCS, oblique capitis superior; SSC, semispinalis capitis; SC, splenius capitis).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ultrasonographic image of the longus colli and sternocleidomastoid muscles (LCo, longus colli; SCM, sternocleidomastoid; CA, carotid artery).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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