Myofascial Trigger Points and Postero-Anterior Joint Hypomobility in the Mid-Cervical Spine in Subjects Presenting with Mechanical Neck Pain: A Pilot Study

A relationship between muscle and joint impairments has been proposed in the literature; however, the prevalence and the extent of a possible correlation between these disorders in a patient population with mechanical neck pain have been documented in only a few papers. Our aims for this cross-sectional study were to assess the prevalence of myofascial trigger points (TrPs) in the upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, and levators capulae muscles; the prevalence of posterior-anterior (PA) joint hypomobility in the mid-cervical spine (C3-C6); and the correlation of these impairments in patients presenting with mechanical neck pain. Thirty patients with neck pain were examined for the presence of TrPs, according to the diagnostic criteria described by Simons et al and Gerwin et al, and for the presence of mid-cervical spine join thypomobility as described by Maitland. One clinician first examined for TrPs. A second clinician blinded to the TrP results then examined the patients for PA joint hypomobi...