Relationship of forward head posture with upper cervical spine mobility and cervical spine deep flexor muscle resistance in individuals with migraine

• Grant number: 14/13159-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: November 03, 2014
• End date: November 02, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: José Geraldo Speciali
• Grantee: Gabriela Natalia Ferracini
• Supervisor: César Fernández de las Peñas
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón (URJC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/22701-5 - Presence of degenerative changes and postural of the cervical spine and aspects of functionality and overall inability in the headache patients., BP.DR

Abstract

Background: A higher activity of superficial cervical flexor muscles and a lower activation of deep cervical flexor muscles occur in forward head posture that leads to overload of posterior cervical structures. This overload causes reduced cervical mobility that may induce cervical pain and contribute to migraine crises. Objective: Analyze forward head posture, upper cervical spine mobility and resistance of deep cervical flexor muscles and to determine if these conditions are correlated. Methods: The sample will consist of 40 volunteers divided into 2 groups: migraine group consisting of 20 women with migraine according to ICHD-II criteria, with at least 3 crises per month over the last 3 months, and control group consisting of 20 women with no history of any type of headache for at least 3 months, aged 18-50 years. Women with the presence of trauma/cervical fracture, hypomobility, systemic comorbidities such as arthritis and fibromyalgia, and women submitted to physiotherapy over the last 12 months will be excluded. Three analyses will be performed: (1) forward head posture, by photographic analysis of the craniocervical angle; (2) upper cervical spine mobility by the cervical flexion rotation test, and (3) deep flexor muscle resistance by the craniocervical flexion test. The Student t-test will be used to compare differences between groups and the Spearman correlation test, using the SPSS® v.17 software.Expect results: We expect that our results provide more understanding about the role of the upper cervical spine, of the deep flexor muscles and head posture and its associations in migraine patients. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FERRACINI, GABRIELA N.; FLORENCIO, LIDIANE L.; DACH, FABIOLA; GROSSI, DEBORA BEVILAQUA; PALACIOS-CENA, MARIA; ORDAS-BANDERA, CARLOS; CHAVES, THAIS C.; SPECIALI, JOSE G.; FERNANDEZ-DE-LAS-PENAS, CESAR. Musculoskeletal disorders of the upper cervical spine in women with episodic or chronic migraine. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, v. 53, n. 3, p. 342-350, JUN 2017. (14/13159-0)