Respiratory Muscle Strength, Endurance, and Postural Control in Chronic Neck Pain With Disability

NCT07124455 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: IstinyeU BT 1
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Neck pain is a common cause of disability worldwide, especially among middle-aged women in wealthy countries. It often occurs in episodes and can become chronic, affecting physical, psychological, emotional, and social aspects of life, which reduces quality of life for both patients and their families. Research has shown that neck pain is linked to problems with movement control, such as reduced neck mobility, increased activity in surface muscles, and poor body position awareness. These issues may lead to breathing problems because surface neck muscles are involved in inhalation. Studies have found that people with chronic neck pain have reduced lung function and altered breathing patterns compared to healthy individuals. However, no research has yet explored how respiratory endurance and balance control relate to neck pain severity. This study will assess respiratory muscle strength, endurance, and postural control in people with chronic neck pain. Participants will be divided into groups based on the severity of their neck disability, and their respiratory and balance measurements will be compared to healthy individuals. The goal is to understand whether worsening neck disability is associated with greater respiratory problems.

Conditions

Neck Pain Chronic; Respiratory Function

Keywords

neck pain; respiratory function; neck disability; respiratory muscle strength; pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• respiratory function test

  Lung function will be measured with a portable spirometer. The test will record forced vital capacity, the amount of air exhaled in one second, their ratio, and peak flow. Results will be given in liters and compared to predicted normal values. The test follows official guidelines and uses sterilized, personal mouthpieces to ensure safety.

  4 weeks

• Maximum Inspiratory Pressure

  Maximum inspiratory mouth pressure is the intraoral pressure measured during maximum inspiration against a closed airway valve. For the measurement, the participant is asked to perform a maximum expiration first. Then, the airway valve is closed, and the participant performs a maximum inspiration, maintaining it for 1-3 seconds. The best value out of three attempts will be selected and recorded in cmH₂O. Results will be expressed as a percentage of normal reference values calculated according to age and gender.

  4 weeks

• Assessment of Cervical Disability:

  Cervical disability will be evaluated using the Turkish version of the Neck Disability Questionnaire. This is one of the most commonly used questionnaires for neck pain. It is used to assess the patient's current condition and progress during treatment. The questionnaire consists of 10 sections completed by the patient, covering pain, personal care, lifting heavy objects, reading, headaches, concentration, work, driving, sleeping, and recreation. Each section is scored from 0 (no disability) to 5 (complete disability). The total score ranges from 0 (no disability) to 50 (total disability). An increase in the score indicates greater disability, while a decrease indicates improvement. Based on the total score, disability is classified as follows: 0-4 points (0-8%) no disability, 5-14 points (10-28%) mild disability, 15-24 points (30-48%) moderate disability, 25-34 points (50-64%) severe disability, and 35-40 points (70-100%) complete disability (Vernon et al., 1991; Telci et al., 2009).

  4 weeks

• Measurement of Respiratory Muscle Endurance

  Respiratory muscle endurance refers to the ability of the respiratory muscles to sustain performance during prolonged or repetitive contractions. This parameter is typically assessed with specific endurance tests and may vary depending on the measurement protocol. During the endurance test, the participant sustains respiratory muscle activity under a given load or intensity for a specified duration, and performance values are recorded.

  4 weeks

• Maximum Expiratory Pressure

  Maximum Expiratory Pressure is the intraoral pressure measured during maximum expiration against a closed airway valve. For the measurement, the participant first performs a maximum inspiration. Then, the airway valve is closed, and the participant performs maximum expiration, maintaining it for 1-3 seconds. The highest value out of three attempts will be selected and recorded in cmH₂O. Results will be expressed as a percentage of normal reference values calculated according to age and gender.

  4 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Anthropometric Measurements:

  4 weeks

• Postural Analysis:

  4 weeks

• Visual Analog Scale:

  4 weeks

• Assessment of Postural Control:

  4 weeks

• Borg Scale:

  4 weeks

Study Arms (4)

healthy individuals

participants without neck pain

mild

participant with mild neck disability according to neck disavility index

moderate

participant with moderate neck disability according to neck disavility index

severe

participant with severe neck disability according to neck disavility index

Eligibility Criteria

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

Study Population

people with chronic non-specific neck pain

You may qualify if:

• Individuals diagnosed with Non-Specific Neck Pain by a physician
• Having complaints of Non-Specific Neck Pain for at least 3 months
• Aged between 18 and 65 years
• Willingness to participate voluntarily
• No diagnosed respiratory disease
• No diagnosed cardiac disease
• No diagnosed neuromuscular disease
• Non-smoker

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of radiculopathy or structural abnormalities in the cervical region
• History of surgery on the cervical region
• Upper respiratory tract infection within the last 3 months
• History of surgery involving the chest cage or spine
• Spinal deformities such as scoliosis or kyphosis
• History of abdominal surgery
• Inflammatory and rheumatological diseases
• Presence of infection in the bone or soft tissue of the cervical spine
• Presence of malignancy
• Pregnancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istinye University: lead
• The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Istinye University

Istanbul, Zeytinburnu, 34000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Respiratory Aspiration; Neck Pain; Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Respiration Disorders; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Assistant (PhD student)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 9, 2025
• First Posted: August 15, 2025
• Study Start: April 4, 2024
• Primary Completion: November 1, 2024
• Study Completion: November 1, 2024
• Last Updated: August 15, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)