POSTURAL STABILITY, NECK PROPRIOCEPTION AND TENSION NECK

We examined whether tension neck (TN) may due to inadequate propriocep tive and vestibular activation of the cervico-collic reflex (CCR). CCR and vestibulospinal responses (VSRs) were recorded from 106 forest wo rkers by stimulating the neck, lumbar or calf proprioceptors by vibrat ion. The VSRs were recorded with posturography. TN occurred in 27 out of 106 subjects. The subjects with TN (48.5 years) were older than tho se without TN (43.1). The mean body sway during quiet stance was the s ame in both groups during the neck stimulation. In subjects with tensi on neck stimulation of neck or lumbar proprioceptors caused excessive, unpredictable body excursion in the lateral and anteroposterior direc tion that continued after stimulation. Results from stimulation of low er limb proprioceptors did not significantly differ between the 2 grou ps. In logistic regression analysis a model to predict TN consisting o f perstimulatory postural stability (odds ratio 1.4) and poststimulato ry postural stability (odds ratio 1.8) turned out to be statistically significant. The anatomical findings of CCR in the medulla oblongata s uggest that neck muscle afferents control the posture and muscle activ ity of the neck. The erroneus facilitation of proprioception in TN sub jects indicate that TN may be raised by inadequate facilitation of CCR .