Clinical Signs and Changes in Cervical Muscles Activity Evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging During an Endurance Test

NCT06595927 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: B7072021000028
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 29
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this present study is to compare the radio-clinic correlation between the ability to hold the head and neck (by inertial sensor) and the changes in neck muscles activity (by functional magnetic resonance imaging) during the cervical extensor endurance test between an asymptomatic population and one suffering from chronic neck pain.

Conditions

Motor Activity; Neck Pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change of Cervical muscles metabolism by the transverse relaxation time (T2) values in milliseconds

  The MRI, after identifying the region of interest for each muscle, will be used to calculate a transverse relaxation time (T2) value (in milliseconds) for each muscle at two assessment points: before and after the cervical extensor endurance test. The aim is to evaluate the changes in T2 values induced by each muscle\'s contribution during the endurance test. Each MRI scan will last 11 minutes.

  At baseline and after the endurance test, to assess the change of T2 values

• Head and neck movements in degrees or millimetres during the cervical extensor endurance test.

  The inertial sensor will monitor the head and neck movements during the entire duration of the Cervical Extensor Endurance Test, in the three planes of space for cervical movements and for cranio-cervical flexion/extension movement. The maximal duration of 3 minutes of the cervical extensor endurance test

  At baseline (just after the first MRI)

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Tandem stand balance test in seconds

  During the 7 days following the MRI

• Cervical joint position sense error test in millimetres

  During the 7 days following the MRI

• Head lift test in seconds

  During the 7 days following the MRI

• Cranio-cervical flexion test in mmHg

  During the 7 days following the MRI

• Endurance in cranio-cervical flexion test (in percent)

  During the 7 days following the MRI

Study Arms (2)

Participants with chronic neck pain

EXPERIMENTAL

Both groups will receive the same experimental procedure, divided in 2 parts. Part 1: a first cervical MRI is done, followed by a cervical extensor endurance test during 3 minutes and the second cervical MRI. Part 2 : several clinical tests will be done: * tandem stand balance test (eyes closed, firm ground) * cranio-cervical flexion test * head lift test * cervical joint position error sense test in 4 directions

Diagnostic Test: Cervical extensor endurance test

Participants free of neck pain

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

the same experimental procedure than the other group

Diagnostic Test: Cervical extensor endurance test

Interventions

Cervical extensor endurance test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Monitoring the clinical parameters of head and neck immobility during the cervical extensor endurance test to correlate them with muscular activity by MRI and other cervical clinical tests

Also known as: cervical flexor muscles motor control tests, balance test, cervical proprioception test

Participants free of neck pain; Participants with chronic neck pain

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Neck Disability Index score \> 8/50 for the symptomatic group OR \< 4/50 for the asymptomatic group
• numerical rating scale \< 7/10 for the symptomatic group
• suffering from idiopathic or traumatic chronic neck pain for the neck pain group OR being free of neck pain which required therapeutic, medical or medicinal treatment in the last 12 months.

You may not qualify if:

• fibromyalgia, cervical radiculopathy, previous cervical surgery

Sponsors & Collaborators

• David Colman: lead
• University of Liege: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University Hospital of Liege

Liège, Liège, 4000, Belgium

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Cagnie B, O'Leary S, Elliott J, Peeters I, Parlevliet T, Danneels L. Pain-induced changes in the activity of the cervical extensor muscles evaluated by muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging. Clin J Pain. 2011 Jun;27(5):392-7. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31820e11a2.

  PMID: 21415716 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain; Motor Activity

Interventions

Recruitment Detection, Audiologic

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hearing Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Otological; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis

Study Officials

• Marc MV Vanderthommen, Professor

  University of Liege

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PhD student, Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 23, 2022
• First Posted: September 19, 2024
• Study Start: November 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: January 31, 2025
• Study Completion: February 28, 2025
• Last Updated: December 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BE (1)