![]() The handheld goniometer is an easily accessible and convenient clinical tool but is limited by an inability to record complex movements with greater than one centre of rotation. The tape measure is easily available and widely used in physical therapy. The instruments used to assess CROM were a tape measure, a classic orthopaedic handheld goniometer and a CROM goniometer (Performance Attainment Associates, Roseville, MN). ![]() We set out to test the hypothesis that neck morphology affects CROM and in conjunction compare the accuracy of commonly used methods of measuring CROM in comparison to a validated measuring device. These studies do not address the effect of the shape of the neck on CROM. Many of these are limited by their complexity or the requirement of radiographs, but with these techniques researchers have been able to tabulate CROM in normal subjects and show that neck stiffness increases with age. In an attempt to address this, a number of techniques have been developed to measure CROM reproducibly. Ĭervical range of movement is difficult to measure accurately. ![]() Thus accurate measurement of cervical range of movement (CROM) is essential in objective assessment of neck symptomology and the effects of any intervention. One of the few objective measurements in neck pain and whiplash-associated disorders is with neck stiffness. In light of the impaired cognitive and psychological functions found in subjects complaining of whiplash such individuals are difficult to assess quantifiably. In the United States the National Highway Safety Administration estimates over 8,00,000 people suffering whiplash-injuries every year and related costs have been calculated at $5.2 billion. In contrast to lumbar back pain, neck pain is frequently associated with previous injury. In Finland, neck pain occurred in 9.5% of males and 13.5% of females while in Northern England there was a prevalence of reported neck pain for greater than 1 week per month in 16.5% of females and 10.7% of males. found a prevalence of neck pain of 13.8% in a random sample of 10,000 persons aged 18–67 years. We demonstrated that neck dimension should be incorporated into cervical functional outcome assessment and one should be wary about recorded values for neck motion from non-validated measurement tools. ![]() Comparison of cervical range of motion assessed with a validated measurement tool, the CROM goniometer, with results of both frequently applied clinician’s instruments, the uniplanar goniometer and measurement of chin-sternal distance, showed low reliability with the latter techniques, and motion values measured with these techniques should be interpreted with caution if using them for comparison of cervical range of motion of alike groups. Hence, assessing cervical range of motion as outcome variable or as a measure at posttreatment follow-up, neck circumference was shown to be one of the factors influencing total neck motion, particularly sagittal flexion and lateral tilt. Using multiple linear regression analysis it was determined that sagittal flexion ( P = 0.002) and lateral rotation ( P < 0.0001) were most closely related to neck circumference alone whereas lateral flexion ( P < 0.0001) was most closely related to a ratio of circumference and length of neck. Additionally, two widely used methods of measuring neck motion, chin-sternal distance and uniplanar goniometer, were assessed against a validated measurement tool, the ‘CROM goniometer’. Data relating to 100 healthy subjects, aged between 20 and 40 years, were recorded with respect to age, gender and range of motion in three planes. The authors investigated the effect of neck dimension upon cervical range of motion.
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