Institute of Health Sciences, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
Somatosens Mot Res. 2021 Jun;38(2):133-139. doi: 10.1080/08990220.2021.1879776. Epub 2021 Feb 25.
The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the ultrasonography parameters of transversus abdominis and neck pain manifestations in women with chronic neck pain.
Thirty women (mean age: 38.44 ± 9.56 years, BMI: 25.57 ± 3.32 kg/m) with chronic neck pain were included in the study. The pain severity, disability scores, and bilateral pain pressure threshold of upper trapezius were assessed. The thickness of transversus abdominis in-rest and abdominal draw-in conditions were evaluated by two-dimensional ultrasonography. Pearson's correlation coefficients and linear regression statistics were determined.
We found a moderate correlation between the thickness of transversus abdominis in abdominal draw-in and the pain pressure threshold of right ( = 0.636, < 0.001), and left upper trapezius ( = 0.403, = 0.03). Moreover, there was a moderate correlation between the pain pressure threshold of the right upper trapezius and the thickness of transversus abdominis in-rest ( = 0.498, = 0.006). No significant correlation was found between pain intensity, disability scores, and ultrasonography parameters of transversus abdominis. There was also a significant total effect of transversus abdominis' thickness on abdominal draw-in manoeuvre on predicting pain pressure threshold of right upper trapezius ( = 0.636, SE = 0.765, < 0.001) and pain pressure threshold of left upper trapezius ( = 0.403, SE = 0.840, = 0.03).
Our results revealed that upper trapezius muscle tenderness may associated with decreased muscle thickness of transversus abdominis. Addressing new exercise methodologies including transversus abdominis training in the management of chronic neck pain may be helpful to improve neck pain symptoms.
本研究旨在探讨慢性颈痛女性腹横肌超声参数与颈部疼痛表现之间的关系。
本研究纳入了 30 名慢性颈痛女性患者（平均年龄：38.44±9.56 岁，BMI：25.57±3.32kg/m）。评估了疼痛严重程度、残疾评分以及双侧上斜方肌的疼痛压力阈值。通过二维超声评估腹横肌在静息和腹部内收状态下的厚度。采用 Pearson 相关系数和线性回归统计分析。
我们发现腹横肌在腹部内收时的厚度与右侧（ = 0.636， < 0.001）和左侧上斜方肌（ = 0.403， = 0.03）的疼痛压力阈值之间存在中度相关性。此外，右侧上斜方肌的疼痛压力阈值与腹横肌静息时的厚度之间存在中度相关性（ = 0.498， = 0.006）。疼痛强度、残疾评分与腹横肌超声参数之间无显著相关性。腹横肌厚度对腹部内收运动的总效应对右侧上斜方肌疼痛压力阈值（ = 0.636，SE=0.765， < 0.001）和左侧上斜方肌疼痛压力阈值（ = 0.403，SE=0.840， = 0.03）的预测具有显著意义。
我们的研究结果表明，上斜方肌压痛可能与腹横肌肌肉厚度减少有关。在慢性颈痛的管理中采用新的运动方法，包括腹横肌训练，可能有助于改善颈痛症状。
