Neck muscle vibration can improve sensorimotor function in patients with neck pain

Background contextPeople with neck pain display a diminished joint position sense and disturbed postural control, which is thought to be a result of impaired somatosensory afferent activity and/or integration. Afferent processing can be artificially manipulated by vibration and was shown to reduce motor performance in healthy subjects. However, the effect of vibration on sensorimotor function in neck pain patients is scarcely investigated.PurposeTo assess the effect of neck muscle vibration on joint position sense and postural control in neck pain subjects and healthy controls.Study designCase control study.Patient sampleThirteen neck pain patients and 10 healthy controls participated in the present study.Outcome measurementsCervical joint position sense and dynamic and static postural stability.MethodsShort-term, targeted neck muscle vibration with 100 Hz was applied after baseline measurement.ResultsVibration had opposite effects in patients and healthy subjects. Patients showed improved joint position sense (p<.01) and reduced dynamic postural sway (p<.05) after vibration, whereas vibration resulted in reduced joint position sense acuity (p<.05) and a nonsignificant increase in postural sway in healthy controls.ConclusionsThis is the first study showing an improved motor performance after neck muscle vibration in patients with neck pain. Thus, vibration may be used to counteract sensorimotor impairment of the cervical spine. Potential underlying mechanisms are discussed.