Active and Passive Cervical Flexion-rotation Tests

Des Moines University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cervicogenic Headaches

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02070172

DMUSP2

Details and patient eligibility

About

Motion limitations have been previously reported in people with headaches originating from the neck/cervicogenic headaches. A test involving flexing and rotating the neck has been found useful to diagnose this type of headache. This observational study investigates this neck motion test when performed actively by the patient and passively by the examiner, then compares the results of motion attained.

Enrollment: 24 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 55 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• One-sided headaches
• Headaches caused by neck movement or sustained head positioning
• Neck, shoulder, or arm pain
• Intermittent headaches at least one headache per week for greater than 2 months
• Headaches of moderate intensity

Exclusion criteria

• A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
• Current pregnancy
• International Headache Society criteria for other headache forms (such as tension or migraine)
• Cervical radiculopathy
• Treatment for headaches by a physical therapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, or osteopath in the past month
• Positive test for vertebral artery insufficiency or cranial-vertebral ligament instability

Trial design

24 participants in 2 patient groups

Cervicogenic Headache Group

Description:

This group of subjects is considered the symptomatic group. No intervention was provided in this study so there are no intervention groups.

Healthy, Asymptomatic Group

Description:

Subjects in this group had no headache symptoms. Their neck motion was compared to subjects in the headache group. No intervention was provided to subjects in either group for this study.