ANALYSIS OF NECK MUSCLES RECRUITMENT USING ULTRASONOGRAPHY: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the recruitment pattern of the neck muscles during the Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT) using ultrasound measurement. Ten subjects performed the CCFT and ultrasound changes in thickness from resting values during the test were obtained for deep cervical flexors (DCF) and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles. The most significant changes found in DCF thickness were between phases 1 and phases 4 (p<0.001), and 5 (p= <0.001). For SCM, differences were most significant between phases 1 and 3 (p<0.001), 4 (p<0.001), and 5 (p<0.001); and between phase 2, 4 (p<0.001) and 5 (p<0.001).The present study confirms the evidence that the CCFT challenges the cervical spine and that DCF activity is increased during this maneuver demonstrating its role in controlling and stabilizing the neck.