ABSTRACT
Neck pain due to acute and repetitive neck injuries is a common complaint in the general population. Functional assessment of cervical spine by measurement of cervical range of movements [CROM] is informative and beneficial for planning proper treatment of patients with cervical strain. Muscle spasm is the widely used explanation for straightening and reversal of cervical lordosis commonly seen after trauma, but more specific interpretation is not supported in the literature. To evaluate the intensity of neck pain, the mobility of cervical spine and the cervical curve in patients with chronic cervical strain. Semiquantitative ordinal scale was used for evaluation of the severity of neck pain. Assessment of cervical movements was performed using cervical gonimeter with three separate inclinometers, measuring the movements in frontal, sagittal and horizontal planes. Two line Cobb method was used to determine the angle of cervical curve on lateral cervical radiographs. Significant reduction of total active CROM was found in patients with cervical strain with predominantly restricted neck extension followed by neck flexion, lateral flexion and to a lesser extent rotation. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of lordotic, straight and kyphotic curves in the group of patients with cervical strain compared to those in the control group. In our study, the existence of CROM limitation in cervical strain patients did not show a different than normal distribution of lordotic, straight and kyphotic cervical spine on radiographic images established by Cobb method