Dynamic in vivo 3D atlantooccipital kinematics during multiplanar physiologic motions.

Normal biomechanics of the upper cervical spine, particularly at the atlantooccipital joint, remain poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to determine the intervertebral kinematics of the atlantooccipital joint (occiput-C1) during three-dimensional in vivo physiologic movements. Twenty healthy young adults performed dynamic flexion/extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending while biplane radiographs were collected at 30 images per second. Motion at occiput-C1 was tracked using a validated volumetric model-based tracking process that matched subject-specific CT-based bone models to the radiographs. The occiput-C1 total range of motion (ROM) and helical axis of motion (HAM) was calculated for each movement. During flexion/extension, the occiput-C1 moved almost exclusively in-plane (ROM: 17.9 ± 6.9°) with high variability in kinematic waveforms (6.3°) compared to the in-plane variability during axial rotation (1.4°) and lateral bending (0.9°) movements. During axial rotation, there was small in-plane motion (ROM: 4.2 ± 2.5°) compared to out-of-plane flexion/extension (ROM: 12.7 ± 5.4°). During lateral bending, motion occurred in-plane (ROM: 9.0 ± 3.1°) and in the plane of flexion/extension (ROM: 7.3 ± 2.7°). The average occiput-C1 axis of rotation intersected the sagittal and coronal planes 7 mm to 18 mm superior to the occipital condyles. The occiput-C1 axis of rotation pointed 60° from the sagittal plane during axial rotation but only 10° from the sagittal plane during head lateral bending. These novel results are foundational for future work on upper cervical spine kinematics.

Interactions between arm and leg neuronal circuits following paired cervical and lumbosacral transspinal stimulation in healthy humans.

Transspinal (or transcutaneous spinal cord) stimulation is a promising noninvasive method that may strengthen the intrinsic spinal neural connectivity in neurological disorders. In this study we assessed the effects of cervical transspinal stimulation on the amplitude of leg transspinal evoked potentials (TEPs), and the effects of lumbosacral transspinal stimulation on the amplitude of arm TEPs. Control TEPs were recorded following transspinal stimulation with one cathode electrode placed either on Cervical 3 (21.3 ± 1.7 mA) or Thoracic 10 (23.6 ± 16.5 mA) vertebrae levels. Associated anodes were placed bilaterally on clavicles or iliac crests. Cervical transspinal conditioning stimulation produced short latency inhibition of TEPs recorded from left soleus (ranging from - 6.11 to -3.87% of control TEP at C-T intervals of -50, -25, -20, -15, -10, 15 ms), right semitendinosus (ranging from - 11.1 to -4.55% of control TEP at C-T intervals of -20, -15, 15 ms), and right vastus lateralis (ranging from - 13.3 to -8.44% of control TEP at C-T intervals of -20 and - 15 ms) (p < 0.05). Lumbosacral transspinal conditioning stimulation produced no significant effects on arm TEPs. We conclude that in the resting state, cervical transspinal stimulation affects the net motor output of leg motoneurons under the experimental conditions used in this study. Further investigations are warranted to determine whether this protocol may reactivate local spinal circuitry after stroke or spinal cord injury and may have a significant effect in synchronization of upper and lower limb muscle synergies during rhythmic activities like locomotion or cycling.

Human Cervical Epidural Spinal Electrogram Topographically Maps Distinct Volitional Movements.

Little is known about the electrophysiologic activity of the intact human spinal cord during volitional movement. We analyzed epidural spinal recordings from a total of five human subjects of both sexes during a variety of upper extremity movements and found that these spinal epidural electrograms contain spectral information distinguishing periods of movement, rest, and sensation. Cervical epidural electrograms also contained spectral changes time-locked with movement. We found that these changes were primarily associated with increased power in the theta (4-8 Hz) band and feature increased theta phase to gamma amplitude coupling, and this increase in theta power can be used to topographically map distinct upper extremity movements onto the cervical spinal cord in accordance with established myotome maps of the upper extremity. Our findings have implications for the development of neurostimulation protocols and devices focused on motor rehabilitation for the upper extremity, and the approach presented here may facilitate spatiotemporal mapping of naturalistic movements.

Concurrent Validity and Reliability of a New Smartphone Application for Measuring Cervical Range of Motion in Healthy Individuals.

BACKGROUND: Range of motion (ROM) measurement is an important part of physical therapy assessment and patient progress. Smartphones are user-friendly instruments and if proven to be reliable and valid, clinicians can use them for a variety of tasks including ROM measurement. OBJECTIVES: To determine concurrent validity and intra- and inter-rater reliability of the PhysioMaster application in measuring cervical ROM in both Android and iOS operating systems. METHODS: Forty-five healthy individuals (age 31.75 ± 11.94 yrs; 18 men, 27 women) completed this study. Two raters measured cervical ROM, three times each, using an Android phone for intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. With an interval time of 1-7 days after the first session, measurements were repeated by one of the raters once to measure intersession reliability. Validity was estimated by one of the raters using iPhone and Android phones one at a time while 3D motion analysis (3DMA) recorded cervical movements simultaneously. For reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and for validity, Pearson correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plots were used. RESULTS: ICC values of ≥0.76 and ≥0.84 demonstrated excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability, respectively. For concurrent validity, correlation between each phone and 3DMA was nearly perfect for all movements (0.93 ≤ r ≤ 0.97). CONCLUSION: PhysioMaster appears to be a valid and reliable application for measuring cervical ROM in healthy individuals.

Advanced subject-specific neck musculoskeletal modeling unveils sex differences in muscle moment arm and cervical spine loading.

Neck pain and injuries are growing healthcare burdens with women having a higher incidence rate and poorer treatment outcomes than males. A better understanding of sex differences in neck biomechanics, foundational for more targeted, effective prevention or treatment strategies, calls for more advanced subject-specific musculoskeletal modeling. Current neck musculoskeletal models are based on generic anatomy, lack subject specificity beyond anthropometric scaling, and are unable to accurately reproduce neck strengths exhibited in vivo without arbitrary muscle force scaling factors or residual torque actuators. In this work, subject-specific neck musculoskeletal models of 23 individuals (11 male, 12 female) were constructed by integrating multi-modality imaging and biomechanical measurements. Each model simulated maximal voluntary neck static exertions in three postures: neck flexion in a neutral posture, flexion in a 40° extended posture, and extension in a 40° flexed posture. Quantitative model validation showed close agreement between model-predicted muscle activation and EMG measurement. The models unveiled that (1) males have greater moment arms in one flexor muscle group and five extensor muscle groups, (2) females exhibited higher cervical spinal compression per unit exertion force in the flexed posture, and (3) the variability of compression force was much greater in females in all three exertions but most notably in the extension with a flexed "dropped head" position. These insights illuminated a plausible pathway from sex differences in neck biomechanics to sex disparities in the risk and prevalence of neck pain.

Exploring the Influence of Facet Orientation and Tropism on Neutral Zone Properties.

Lumbar spine pathologies have been linked independently to both neutral zone (NZ) properties and facet joint anatomical characteristics; however, the effect of facet joint orientation (FO) and tropism (FT) on NZ properties remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate how axial plane FO and FT relate to NZ range and stiffness in the human lumbar spine and porcine cervical spine. Seven human lumbar functional spine units (FSUs) and 94 porcine cervical FSUs were examined. FO and FT were measured, and in vitro mechanical testing was used to determine anterior-posterior (AP) and flexion-extension (FE) NZ range and stiffness. FO and FT were found to have no significant relationship with AP and FE NZ range. Increases in FT were associated with greater FE and AP NZ stiffness in human FSUs, with no FT-NZ stiffness relationship observed in porcine specimens. A significant relationship (p < 0.001) between FO and FE NZ stiffness was observed for both porcine and human FSUs, with a more sagittal orientation of the facet joints being associated with decreased FE NZ stiffness. Given the link between NZ stiffness and pathological states of the lumbar spine, further research is warranted to determine the practical significance of the observed facet joint anatomical characteristic-NZ property relationship.

The role of the deep cervical extensor muscles in multi-directional isometric neck strength.

Clinical management of whiplash-associated disorders is challenging and often unsuccessful, with over a third of whiplash injuries progressing to chronic neck pain. Previous imaging studies have identified muscle fat infiltration, indicative of muscle weakness, in the deep cervical extensor muscles (multifidus and semispinalis cervicis). Yet, kinematic and muscle redundancy prevent the direct assessment of individual neck muscle strength, making it difficult to determine the role of these muscles in motor dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of deep cervical extensor muscle weakness on multi-directional neck strength and muscle activation patterns. Maximum isometric forces and associated muscle activation patterns were computed in 25 test directions using a 3-joint, 24-muscle musculoskeletal model of the head and neck. The computational approach accounts for differential torques about the upper and lower cervical spine. To facilitate clinical translation, the test directions were selected based on locations where resistance could realistically be applied to the head during clinical strength assessments. Simulation results reveal that the deep cervical extensor muscles are active and contribute to neck strength in directions with an extension component. Weakness of this muscle group leads to complex compensatory muscle activation patterns characterized primarily by increased activation of the superficial extensors and deep upper cervical flexors, and decreased activation of the deep upper cervical extensors. These results provide a biomechanistic explanation for movement dysfunction that can be used to develop targeted diagnostics and treatments for chronic neck pain in whiplash-associated disorders.

Effect of smartphone use on cervical spine stability.

Using a smartphone often involves a sustained head-forward tilt posture, which may deteriorate the mechanism of muscle reaction efficiency or reduce the stiffness of connective tissues of the cervical spine. These changes in muscular and connective tissues can impair cervical spine stability and contribute to developing neck pain symptoms. In this experiment, change in the cervical spine stability associated with a sustained smartphone use posture was evaluated by quantifying the effective stiffness and the reflexive responses of the head to sudden perturbations. Seventeen young smartphone users maintained their heads tilted forward approximately 30° for 30 min while watching videos on their smartphones in sitting. Data show that the measures of cervical spine stability did not change significantly after the smartphone use task despite developing mild to moderate neck and upper body discomfort symptoms. Study findings imply that keeping the head tilt posture for 30 min for smartphone use did not significantly alter spinal stability, rejecting its association with neck discomfort.

Altered Cervical Spine Position Results in Decreased Eccentric Shoulder Rotation Strength.

Overhead athletes require strenuous shoulder activity in nonneutral cervical spine positions to eccentrically decelerate the throwing/striking arm following ball release/contact. We therefore aimed to compare eccentric shoulder rotation strength through a 90° arc between neutral and rotated positions. Fifty-two participants (19 M, 34 F 170±10 cm; 73±18 kg, 21.9±2.9 years) without shoulder or cervical spine pathology participated. Isokinetic eccentric shoulder rotation strength was measured through a 90° arc with the shoulder elevated 90° in frontal plane (frontal plane), and 45° anterior to the frontal plane (scapular plane) in neutral and rotated cervical spine positions. Cervical spine position was obtained by instructing participants to maximally rotate their respective side. Frontal plane eccentric external rotated strength differed between neutral and contralaterally positions in the first 10° of the motion, near forearm vertical (p+=+0.029). Internal rotation strength differed between neutral and contralaterally rotated positions from 55-60° external rotation (p+=+0.004). Scapular plane eccentric external rotation differed between cervical positions between 21-67° shoulder external rotation (p<0.001). Scapular plane internal rotation strength differed between cervical positions between 22-60° shoulder external rotation (p<0.001). In populations requiring strenuous use of their shoulders in altered cervical spine positions, sports medicine clinicians should consider including strength testing that reflects the functional positions of their patients during an orthopedic examination.

Biomechanical analysis of cervical spine (C2-C7) at different flexed postures.

Musculoskeletal diseases are often related with postural changes in the neck region that can be caused by prolonged cervical flexion. This is one of the contributing factors. When determining the prevalence, causes, and related risks of neck discomfort, having a solid understanding of the biomechanics of the cervical spine (C1-C7) is absolutely necessary. The objective of this study is to make predictions regarding the intervertebral disc (IVD) stress values across C2-C7 IVD, the ligament stress, and the variation at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60° of cervical neck angle using finite element analysis (FEA). In order to evaluate the mechanical properties of the cervical spine (particularly, C2-C7), this investigation makes use of computed tomography (CT) scans to develop a three-dimensional FEA model of the cervical spine. A preload of 50 N compression force was applied at the apex of the C2 vertebra, and all degrees of freedom below the C7 level were constrained. The primary objective of this investigation is to assess the distribution of von Mises stress within the IVDs and ligaments spanning C2-C7 at various flexion angles: 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60°, utilizing FEA. The outcomes derived from this analysis were subsequently compared to previously published experimental and FEA data to validate the model's ability to replicate the physiological motion of the cervical spine across different flexion angles.

Are owls technically capable of making a full head turn?

The three-dimensional configuration of the neck that produces extreme head turn in owls was studied using the Joint Coordinate System. The limits of planar axial rotation (AR), lateral, and sagittal bending in each vertebral joint were measured. They are not extraordinary among birds, except probably for the extended ability for AR. The vertebral joint angles involved in the 360° head turn do not generally exceed the limits of planar mobility. Rotation in one plane does not expand the range of motion in the other, with one probable exception being extended dorsal bending in the middle of the neck. Therefore, the extreme 360° head turn can be presented as a simple combination of the three planar motions in the neck joints. Surprisingly, certain joints are always laterally bent or axially rotated to the opposite side than the head was turned. This allows keeping the anterior part of the neck parallel to the thoracic spine, which probably helps preserve the ability for peering head motions throughout the full head turn. The potential ability of one-joint muscles of the owl neck, the mm. intertransversarii, to ensure the 360° head turn was addressed. It was shown that the 360° head turn does not require these muscles to shorten beyond the known contraction limit of striated vertebrate muscles. Shortening by 50% or less is enough for the mm. intertransversarii in the middle neck region for the 360° head turn. This study has broad implications for further research on vertebral mobility and function in a variety of tetrapods, providing a new method for CT scan-based measurement of intervertebral angles.

Assessment of the stiffness of the upper trapezius muscle in a group of asymptomatic people with cervical spine rotation asymmetry.

This study investigated the relationship between the stiffness of the upper trapezius muscle and the range of rotational movement of the cervical spine. A total of 60 right-handed asymptomatic students participated in the study. Participants (N = 22) characterised by asymmetry in rotational movements were selected for the experimental group. A difference of ≥10° between right and left rotation of the cervical spine was considered asymmetrical. The control group (N = 38) included participants whose rotation difference was < 10°. Belonging to the experimental or control group did not significantly differentiate trapezius muscle stiffness. The rotation side differentiated the stiffness of the right and left trapezius muscles only in the group of people with rotational movement asymmetry. There were high correlation coefficients between right cervical rotation and the stiffness of the muscle on the right side, and between rotation to the left and the stiffness of the muscle on the left side. There is a relationship between the stiffness of the right and left upper trapezius muscles and the range of right and left rotational motion of the cervical spine. Stiffness of the upper trapezius correlates more strongly with rotation to the side on which the muscle lies than to the opposite side. Increased stiffness of the upper trapezius muscle on the side of limited cervical spine rotation is likely to be determined by the muscle fibre stretching mechanism.

Automatic Tracking of Hyoid Bone Displacement and Rotation Relative to Cervical Vertebrae in Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies Using Deep Learning.

The hyoid bone displacement and rotation are critical kinematic events of the swallowing process in the assessment of videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS). However, the quantitative analysis of such events requires frame-by-frame manual annotation, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Our work aims to develop a method of automatically tracking hyoid bone displacement and rotation in VFSS. We proposed a full high-resolution network, a deep learning architecture, to detect the anterior and posterior of the hyoid bone to identify its location and rotation. Meanwhile, the anterior-inferior corners of the C2 and C4 vertebrae were detected simultaneously to automatically establish a new coordinate system and eliminate the effect of posture change. The proposed model was developed by 59,468 VFSS frames collected from 1488 swallowing samples, and it achieved an average landmark localization error of 2.38 pixels (around 0.5% of the image with 448 × 448 pixels) and an average angle prediction error of 0.065 radians in predicting C2-C4 and hyoid bone angles. In addition, the displacement of the hyoid bone center was automatically tracked on a frame-by-frame analysis, achieving an average mean absolute error of 2.22 pixels and 2.78 pixels in the x-axis and y-axis, respectively. The results of this study support the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method in detecting hyoid bone displacement and rotation. Our study provided an automatic method of analyzing hyoid bone kinematics during VFSS, which could contribute to early diagnosis and effective disease management.

Unión cráneo-cervical - anatomía normal y correlación con imágenes / Cranio Cervical Junction - Anatomy and Imaging Correlation

La solicitud de estudios de imagen en pacientes con trauma cervical es muy frecuente en la práctica diaria. Esa patología es causa relativamente frecuente de discapacidad en pacientes jóvenes junto con el trauma encéfalo craneano. En un porcentaje no despreciable de los casos, las lesiones traumáticas comprometen la unión cráneo- cervical y en esos pacientes, la morbi-mortalidad es más significativa. La transición entre el cráneo y el raquis se basa en un conjunto de estructuras óseas relacionadas por articulaciones muy móviles y estabilizadas por un grupo de ligamentos y músculos que le brindan al mismo tiempo gran solidez. Para una correcta interpretación de los estudios de imagen de uso corriente en la clínica, es fundamental un sólido conocimiento anatómico de la unión cráneo-cervical y sus componentes. Es el objetivo de esta revisión, sistematizar la anatomía de la unión cráneo-cervical con especial énfasis en sus ligamentos, analizar la fisiología de sus movimientos y el concepto de estabilidad para luego realizar una correlación con tomografía computada multi-detector y resonancia magnética.

The request of imaging techniques in patients with cervical spine trauma is very common in clinical practice. Cervical trauma is a relatively common cause of disability in young patients. In a significant percentage of cases traumatic injuries compromise the cranio-cervical junction with more important morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. The transition between the skull and the spine is based on a set of bony structures, high mobility joints, and stabilization mechanism formed by a group of ligaments and muscles. A solid anatomical knowledge of the cranio-cervical junction and its components is essential for a correct interpretation of current high resolution imaging studies. The goal of this review is highlight the anatomy of the cranio-cervical junction with special emphasis on the ligaments, analyze the biomechanics of their movements and the concept of stability. At last but not leastwe will establish a correlation with multidetector computed tomography and high-resolutionmagnetic resonance imaging.

El trabajo del cuidado en el sector salud desde la psicodinámica del trabajo y la perspectiva del care: Entrevista a Pascale Molinier / Care work in the health sector based on the psychodynamics of work and the care perspective: An interview with Pascale Molinier

Esta entrevista a Pascale Molinier se realizó en Buenos Aires, en octubre del 2014, en el contexto de las actividades organizadas por el Programa de Salud y Trabajo del Departamento de Salud Comunitaria de la Universidad Nacional de Lanús, Argentina. La entrevista aborda la relación entre trabajo y subjetivación, examinando el rol del trabajo tanto en la estructuración psíquica, como en la dinámica placer-sufrimiento y en la construcción de las identidades de género. Se examina el trabajo del cuidado "feminizado" -enfermeras, cuidadoras, mucamas, etc.- desde la perspectiva del "care", analizando su invisibilidad intrínseca y la imposibilidad de ser cuantificado y medido, lo que constituye un importante desafío para las lógicas de gestión y de management.

This interview with Pascale Molinier was carried out in Buenos Aires in October 2014, in the context of activities organized by the Health and Work Program at the Department of Community Health of the Universidad Nacional de Lanús, Argentina. The interview explores the relationship between work and subjectivation, examining the role of work in the structuring of the psyche, in the dynamics of pleasure and suffering, and in the construction of gender identities. "Feminized" work - that of nurses, caregivers and maids, among others - is examined from a "care" perspective, analyzing its intrinsic invisibility and impossibility of being quantified and measured, which makes it a challenge to management-based logic.

Is there correlation between alveolar and systemic bone density?

OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed the correlation between maxillomandibular alveolar bone density and systemic bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the anterior and posterior maxillomandibular alveolar bone, of the standard sites for the measurement of BMD (lumbar spine and femur) and the third cervical vertebra was performed on 23 middle-aged women. Periapical radiographs were also obtained, with an aluminum step-wedge as reference for the digital reading of apical bone density of the upper incisors. RESULTS: Spearman's correlations coefficients revealed that density in the apical region was correlated with that of the femoral neck (r = 0.433; p < 0.05); BMDs of the posterior regions of the mandible and maxilla were significantly correlated with that of the cervical vertebra (r = 0.554, p < 0.01 and r = 0.423, p < 0.05, respectively); and the anterior maxilla was correlated with the posterior mandible (r = 0.488, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Bone density of the maxillary alveolar bone was significantly correlated with that of the femoral neck. Among the bone densities of the alveolar regions, only the anterior maxilla and the posterior mandible were significantly correlated. The findings suggested that bone densitometry might be individually and locally evaluated.

OBJETIVO: avaliar a correlação entre a densidade óssea alveolar maxilomandibular e a densidade mineral óssea sistêmica. MÉTODOS: a absorciometria duoenergética por raios X do osso alveolar maxilomandibular (região anterior e posterior), dos sítios sistêmicos padrões (coluna lombar e fêmur) e da terceira vértebra cervical foi realizada em 23 mulheres de meia idade. Radiografias periapicais dos incisivos superiores também foram obtidas com uma escala de alumínio como referência para a leitura digital da densidade óssea da região apical. RESULTADOS: o teste de correlação de Spearman revelou que a densidade da região apical foi correlacionada com a do colo femoral (r = 0,433; p < 0,05), a densidade óssea da região posterior mandibular e maxilar foram significativamente correlacionadas com a DMO da vértebra cervical (r = 0,554, p < 0,01; e r = 0,423, p < 0,05) e a da região maxilar anterior foi correlacionada com a mandibular posterior (r = 0,488, p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: a densidade óssea alveolar maxilar foi significativamente correlacionada com a do colo femoral. Entre as densidades ósseas das regiões alveolares, somente a anterior maxilar (AMx) e posterior mandibular (PMd) foram significativamente correlacionadas. Esse achado sugere que a densitometria óssea deveria ser individual e localmente avaliada.

Radiculopatía cervical / Cervical radiculopathy

La patología cervical traumática y su relación con el quehacer de la medicina legal tiene gran importancia y vigencia, principalmente cuando se hace necesario realizar valoraciones a pacientes con alteraciones cervicales y se debe definir si estas están en relación a un trauma determinado o repetitivo en el tiempo como puede ocurrir en algunos casos de riesgo de trabajo. El médico forense debe estar muy bien preparado, conocer la anatomía cervical y de los miembros superiores, realizar un interrogatorio y un examen físico neurológico exhaustivo para orientar las posibilidades diagnósticas; es fundamental además el análisis de los estudios diagnósticos. En este caso en particular se realizar una revisión de la radiculpatía cervical, su fisiopatología, mecanismos de producción y las implicaciones médico legales al realizar la valoración en pacientes con cervicobraquialgia...

Grados de rotación cérvico-capital de la población de Caldas, Colombia / Degrees of cervico-capital rotation of the Caldas people, Colombia

El presente trabajo sobre la rotación entre la columna cervical y la cabeza en el ser humano tiene como objetivo estandarizar los grados de rotación cérvico capital, tanto a la derecha como a la izquierda, en una muestra aleatoria obtenida de individuos de ambos géneros en el Departamento de Caldas (Colombia), estratificados de acuerdo a su ciclo vital a partir de los tres años de edad y que no presentaban ninguna alteración en los movimientos propios de la región antes mencionada. Mediante tablas estadísticas se muestran los resultados experimentales obtenidos y se comparan con los valores reportados en la literatura. Se observa, además, que los valores obtenidos están dentro del rango establecido en la literatura, sin embargo, los datos aquí referidos son mucho más específicos porque incluyen comparaciones entre los rangos de edad y el género, datos que no se contemplan en los textos consultados. Se concluye que aunque el rango de rotación para la población de Caldas está dentro del rango reportado (60 a 80 grados), éste se encuentra muy cercano al límite inferior (60,99 grados). También se muestra el hallazgo de una variación estadísticamente significativa en el análisis de los valores de la rotación cérvico capital en el rango de edad comprendido entre los 19 a 25 años en ambos géneros.

The present work on the rotation between the cervical spine and the head in humans aims to standardize the grades of cervical and capital rotation, both to the right and to the left, in a random sample obtained from individuals of both genders in the Caldas state (Colombia), stratified according to their life cycle from three years of age and exhibiting no alteration in the movements peculiar to the region mentioned above. Through statistical tables the experimental results are shown and these are compared with values reported in the literature. Also, we observed that the values obtained are within the range established in the literature; however, the data referred herein are much more specific because they involve comparisons between the age and gender ranges, data not covered in the texts consulted. We conclude that although the range of rotation for the population of Caldas is within the range reported (60 to 80 degrees), it is very close to the lower limit (60.99 degrees).Also shown is the finding of a statistically significant change in the analysis of cervical and capital rotation values in the age range between 19 to 25 years in both genders.

Evaluación de la maduración ósea a través de las vértebras cervicales en pacientes de ortodoncia / Assessment of bone maturation in cervical vertebrae in Orthodontics patients

Objetivo: Verificar si se puede prescindir de la radiografía de la mano izquierda en la evaluación de la maduración ósea en pacientes de Ortodoncia. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal y descriptivo en 150 pacientes que ingresaron en la Clínica de Ortodoncia de la Facultad de Estomatología de La Habana en el período comprendido entre abril de 2004 y septiembre de 2006. Se seleccionaron pacientes con buen estado general de salud, ausencia de enfermedades crónicas y de oligodoncias, así como aquellos que por las características de su maloclusión necesitaran una telerradiografía lateral de cráneo. La misma se le realizó a cada paciente, y también una radiografía de la mano izquierda. En cada caso se evaluaron los métodos de Grave y Brown y Hassel y Farman, y se identificó la concordancia entre éstos mediante un coeficiente Kappa. Resultados: Se encontraron coeficientes de concordancia altos y estadísticamente muy significativos entre las evaluaciones realizadas a través de la mano izquierda y a través de las vértebras cervicales: sexo femenino Kappa= 0,828 (p< 0,010) y sexo masculino Kappa= 0,767 (p< 0,010). Conclusión: En los pacientes estudiados la maduración ósea puede ser evaluada a través de las vértebras cervicales; de manera que es posible sustituir la radiografía de la mano izquierda, lo cual proporciona ahorro de recursos y una mejor atención al paciente(AU)

Objective: To verify if it is possible to avoid the left hand radiography in assessment of bone maturation in Orthodontics patients. Methods: A cross sectional and descriptive study was conducted in 150 patients admitted in the Orthodontics Clinic of Stomatology Faculty of Havana City from April, 2004 to September, 2006. Patients selected had a good general health status, lack of chronic diseases and of oligodontias, as well as those with malocclusion and that will need a lateral teleradiography of skull carrying out in each patient and also a left hand radiography. In each case Grave's and Brown's and Hassel's and Farman's methods identifying the concordance among them by Kappa coefficient. Results: There were high and very significant statistic concordance coefficients among the assessment carried out in left hand and by cervical vertebrae: female sex Kappa= 0,828 (p< 0,010) and male sex Kappa= 0,767 (p< 0.010). Conclusion: In study patients the bone maturation may be assessed by cervical vertebrae being possible to replace the left hand radiography allowing a resources saving and a better care to patient(AU)

Concordância e confiabilidade de dois métodos não-invasivos para a avaliação da amplitude de movimento cervical em adultos jovens / Agreement and reliability of two non-invasive methods for assessing cervical range of motion among young adults

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A amplitude de movimento (ADM) cervical é fundamental na avaliação funcional e na intervenção fisioterapêutica. O Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) destaca-se por ser um método confiável, não invasivo e de fácil manuseio, porém de alto custo. Na prática clínica, opta-se por aparelhos mais acessíveis, como o Flexímetro, cuja confiabilidade ainda não foi adequadamente testada para o segmento cervical. OBJETIVOS: Comparar o Flexímetro com o CROM na análise da ADM cervical e verificar a confiabilidade intra e interexaminadores de ambas as ferramentas. MÉTODOS: Os movimentos cervicais de flexão, extensão, inclinação lateral e rotação foram mensurados, com ambas as ferramentas, por três examinadores em 20 indivíduos jovens, do sexo feminino, assintomáticos. A análise estatística foi realizada pelo Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse (ICC). RESULTADOS: A concordância entre as ferramentas foi considerada moderada nos movimentos de flexão e rotação esquerda (0,71;0,58) e excelente nos demais movimentos (0,76-0,87). A confiabilidade intraexaminadores com o CROM foi moderada para os movimentos de flexão e rotação direita (0,70; 0,69) e excelente para os demais movimentos (0,79-0,88); com o Flexímetro, foi excelente para inclinação e rotação direita (0,80; 0,77) e moderada para os demais movimentos (0,69-0,75). A confiabilidade interexaminadores com o CROM foi excelente em todos os movimentos (0,76-0,93) e, com o Flexímetro, foi moderada para os movimentos de rotação direita e esquerda (0,66; 0,75) e excelente para os demais movimentos (0,81-0,88). CONCLUSÕES: Os valores obtidos na avaliação da ADM cervical feita pelo Flexímetro concordam com aqueles mensurados pelo CROM. Além disso, ambas as ferramentas apresentam confiabilidades aceitáveis para a prática clínica.

BACKGROUND: Cervical range of motion (CROM) is a fundamental component of the functional evaluation in physical therapy interventions. The CROM device stands out as a reliable, non-invasive and easy-to-use method, but it is a very expensive tool. In clinical practice, more affordable tools such as Fleximeters are preferred. However, the reliability of Fleximeters for the cervical spine has not been adequately tested. OBJECTIVES: To compare the Fleximeters and the CROM device for the analysis of CROM, and to investigate the intra- and inter-examiner reliability of both tools. METHODS: Cervical movements (flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation) were assessed in 20 asymptomatic young women by three examiners using both tools. The statistical analyses were performed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: The agreement between the tools was considered moderate for flexion and left rotation (0.71; 0.58) and excellent for all of the other movements (0.76-0.87). The intra-examiner reliability for the CROM device was moderate for flexion and right rotation (0.70; 0.69) and excellent for all of the other movements (0.79-0.88). For the Fleximeter, the agreement was excellent for inclination and right rotation (0.80; 0.77) and moderate for all of the other movements (0.69-0.75). The inter-examiner reliability for the CROM device was excellent for all movements (0.76-0.93) and for the Fleximeter, it was moderate for right and left rotation (0.66; 0.75) and excellent for all of the other movements (0.81-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: There was agreement between the CROM assessments using the Fleximeter and the CROM device. Furthermore, both devices showed acceptable reliability for clinical practice.