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Original Articles

Acuity of goal-directed arm movements and movement control; evaluation of differences between patients with persistent neck/shoulder pain and healthy controls

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Pages 47-55 | Received 12 Oct 2019, Accepted 15 Jun 2020, Published online: 07 Jul 2020
 

Abstract

Background

The main aim was to examine whether patients with persistent upper quadrant pain have higher end-point variability in goal directed pointing movements than pain-free controls when the pointing task is performed in total darkness and under full vision. An additional aim was to study associations between the magnitude of end-point variability and a clinical movement control test battery and self-rated functioning among patients.

Methods

Seventeen patients and 17 age- and gender-matched pain-free controls performed a pointing task that evaluated end-point variability of repetitive shoulder movements in horizontal adduction and abduction with full vision, and abduction with no visual information, completed a movement control test battery of neck and shoulder control tests and answered questionnaires.

Results

Patients had higher end point variability for horizontal abduction when performed with no visual information. For horizontal adduction the variability was higher, but only when it was controlled for movement time. No significant correlations were found between end-point variability and self-rated functioning, nor between end-point variability and neuromuscular control of the glenohumeral joint.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary evidence that patients with persistent neck/shoulder pain can partly compensate proprioceptive deficits in goal-directed arm movement when visual feedback is present.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).