Total head excursion and resting head posture: normal and patient comparisons.

Abstract

To determine whether significant differences existed between normal and patient groups on three postural measurements: anterior-posterior total head excursion (THE), resting head posture in sitting (RHPsit), and resting head posture in standing (RHPstd). Forty-two healthy subjects, 13 men and 29 women between the ages of 20 and 60 years, were matched to 42 patients according to gender and age. Measurements of THE, RHPsit, and RHPstd were taken for each subject. Patients were measured during their initial evaluation and had neck pain as a primary or secondary complaint. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance followed by two-way analyses of variance showed that normal subjects had a significantly (p<.05) greater THE than did the patients and that men (patients and controls) scored significantly higher (p<.05) than women (patients and controls) on both THE and RHPstd. Clinical assessment of patients with cervical pain should focus on cervical mobility rather than resting head posture. Head/neck posture is different for males and females and they should not be judged by the same standard.