Postural and craniocervical dysfunctions and their relationship to the voice of women with cervical pain

Introduction: Altered body alignment may contribute to the onset of muscle hypertension in the cervical region. Alterations in the cervical region can generate several complications, including pain and hypertension during phonation. Objective: To relate the postural with functional alterations of the craniocervical region and the voice of women complaining of musculoskeletal pain in the cervical region. Methods: Case study with ten women complaining of cervical pain. Assessments: Craniocervical Dysfunction Index, photogrammetry, maximum vowel phonation time of the vowel /a/, and sound pressure level. Results: Craniocervical Dysfunction Index: 100% dysfunction. Maximum phonation time /a/: 100% decreased. There was a moderate significant positive correlation between these variables. Photogrammetry: all participants presented alterations in the calculated alignments. Sound pressure level: 90% altered. Conclusion: There were postural and functional dysfunctions in the craniocervical region and vocal alteration, suggesting that vocal imbalances are more related to functional than postural alterations of the craniocervical region.

Translation to Brazilian Portuguese and Cultural Adaptation of the Craniocervical Dysfunction Index

Introduction Functional disorders of the craniocervical region affect 77.78% of Brazilian teachers. Among the most common instruments used to assess craniocervical disorders in a detailed and objective way, none had been translated to Brazilian Portuguese and adapted to Brazilian culture. Objectives To translate to Brazilian Portuguese and to culturally adapt the Craniocervical Dysfunction Index (CDI). Method The first phase of the study consisted of the translation, synthesis, back-translation, and review of the contents by a committee of experts, who developed a trial version and sent all the steps to the original author. The trial version was applied to 50 teachers of an institution. The reliability and internal consistency were evaluated by Cronbach α. For the validation, the Brazilian Portuguese version of the CDI was correlated with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) domains for cervicalgia and evaluated by Spearman ρ. Result Some expressions were adapted to the Brazilian culture. Among the participants who did not report neck pain in the VAS, 84.21% suffered from craniocervical dysfunction acording to the CDI. Among the participants who reported neck pain in the VAS, 100% suffered from craniocervical dysfunction according to the CDI. The CDI showed good internal consistency and satisfactory reliability measured by Cronbrach α (α = 0.717). There was a strong correlation between the CDI and the VAS score (ρ = 0.735). Conclusion No difficulties were encountered in the translation and back-translation of the CDI, and no problems were observed regarding the trial version developed; therefore, the Brazilian Portuguese version of the CDI is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate the functional alteration of the craniocervical region.

Cervical spine dysfunction signs and symptoms in individuals with temporomandibular disorder

PURPOSE: To study the frequency of cervical spine dysfunction (CCD) signs and symptoms in subjects with and without temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and to assess the craniocervical posture influence on TMD and CCD coexistence. METHODS: Participants were 71 women (19 to 35 years), assessed about TMD presence; 34 constituted the TMD group (G1) and 37 comprised the group without TMD (G2). The CCD was evaluated through the Craniocervical Dysfunction Index and the Cervical Mobility Index. Subjects were also questioned about cervical pain. Craniocervical posture was assessed by cephalometric analysis. RESULTS: There was no difference in the craniocervical posture between groups. G2 presented more mild CCD frequency and less moderate and severe CCD frequency (p=0.01). G1 presented higher percentage of pain during movements (p=0.03) and pain during cervical muscles palpation (p=0.01) compared to G2. Most of the TMD patients (88.24%) related cervical pain with significant difference when compared to G2 (p=0.00). CONCLUSION: Craniocervical posture assessment showed no difference between groups, suggesting that postural alterations could be more related to the CCD. Presence of TMD resulted in higher frequency of cervical pain symptom. Thus the coexistence of CCD and TMD signs and symptoms appear to be more related to the common innervations of the trigeminocervical complex and hyperalgesia of the TMD patients than to craniocervical posture deviations.