NECK MOBILITY IN DIFFERENT HEADACHE DISORDERS

The main purpose of this study was to assess neck mobility (by Cybex e quipment) in different headache disorders and, in particular, cervicog enic headache, and to compare these findings with those in controls. A total of 51 control subjects and 90 headache patients were investigat ed, whereof 28 patients suffered from common migraine (migraine withou t aura), 34 from tension-type headache (9 episodic and 25 chronic), an d 28 patients from cervicogenic headache. One-way ANOVA and post hoc B onferroni analysis showed significant differences between those with c ervicogenic headache and the other groups for rotation (P<0.001) and f lexion/extension (P<0.001), but not for lateral neck movement (P=NS). There were no significant differences between migraine patients, tensi on-type headache patients, and controls. In all four groups, there was a significant positive correlation between active and passive neck mo vement for rotation (P<0.001), flexion/extension (P<0.001), and latera l neck movement (P<0.001). Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANO VA) showed no significant day-to-day differences in 10 control subject s. In the control group (n=51), there was a significant negative corre lation between age and neck movement. For rotation. Pearson's correlat ion coefficient was: r=-0.71 (P<0.001),for flexion/extension r=-0.71 ( P<0.001), and for lateral neck movement r=-0.67 (P<0.001). No signific ant sex difference was found as for any of the neck movements. Pain at the time of investigation did not seem to influence neck mobility. Ce rvicogenic headache has been recognized as a pain syndrome by the Inte rnational Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). Since reduced neck mobility is one of the major criteria for this diagnosis, it emphasiz es the need for systematic, objective neck mobility measurements in th e individual patient to substantiate the diagnosis. The technique is s imple and proved reliable.