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24) Respiratory dysfunction in chronic neck pain patients. A pilot study.

Cephalalgia. 2009 Jul;29(7):701-10. Kapreli E, Vourazanis E, Billis E, Oldham JA, Strimpakos N.

The aim of this pilot study was to add weight to a hypothesis according to which patients
presenting with chronic neck pain could have a predisposition towards respiratory dysfunction.
Twelve patients with chronic neck pain and 12 matched controls participated in this study.
Spirometric values, maximal static pressures, forward head posture and functional tests were
examined in all subjects. According to the results, chronic neck patients presented with a
statistically significant decreased maximal voluntary ventilation and respiratory muscle
strength. Furthermore, the current study demonstrated a strong association between an
increased forward head posture and decreased respiratory muscle strength in neck patients.
The connection of neck pain and respiratory function could be an important consideration in
relation to patient assessment, rehabilitation and consumption of pharmacological agents.

25) Influence of forward head posture on condylar position.

J Oral Rehabil. 2008 Nov;35(11):795-800. Ohmure H, Miyawaki S, Nagata J, Ikeda K, Yamasaki K,
Al-Kalaly A.

There are several reports suggesting that forward head posture is associated with
temporomandibular disorders and restraint of mandibular growth, possibly due to mandibular
displacement posteriorly. However, there have been few reports in which the condylar position
was examined in forward head posture. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis
that the condyle moves posteriorly in the forward head posture. The condylar position and
electromyography from the masseter, temporal and digastric muscles were recorded on 15
healthy male adults at mandibular rest position in the natural head posture and deliberate
forward head posture. The condylar position in the deliberate forward head posture was
significantly more posterior than that in the natural head posture. The activity of the masseter
and digastric muscles in the deliberate forward head posture was slightly increased. These
results suggest that the condyle moves posteriorly in subjects with forward head posture.

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