Comparison of ultrasonographic characteristics of deep abdominal muscles in women with and without chronic neck pain: a case-control study

Objectives: To compare ultrasonography (USG) parameters of deep abdominal muscles (transversus abdominis-TrA, internal obliques-IO) between women with and without chronic neck pain (CNP). Methods: Women with CNP (n=18; mean-age=37.7 years; mean-BMI=22.7 kg/m(2)) and asymptomatic individuals (n=18; mean-age=36.1 years; mean-BMI=21.8 kg/m(2)) participated in the study. The activation of the deep neck flexors (ADNF) was measured using cranio-cervical flexion test. Muscle thickness, changes in thickness (?T), and contraction ratio (CR) of deep abdominal muscles were evaluated by ultrasonography device in two conditions: standard-protocol and during ADNF. For each condition, ultrasound image of abdominal muscles was captured at rest and during abdominal draw-in manoeuvre (ADIM). Results: Comparative statistics revealed no significant difference between groups regarding ultrasonography parameters in the standard-protocol (p>0.05). Besides, there was no difference in the CR of TrA and IO between groups in the two conditions. However, women with CNP showed less muscle thickness of TrAADIM during ADNF than the asymptomatic participants (p<0.05). The CNP group also had decreased ?T of TrA(ADIM-rest) during ADNF compared to the asymptomatic group (p<0.05). Conclusions: The ultrasonography parameters of TrA suggest that motor control in the lumbar region is altered in women with CNP. The combination of cervical stabilization exercises with ADIM can be a novel strategy in the treatment of CNP.