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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

Is performance in goal oriented head movements altered in patients with tension type headache?

Authors: Andrée-Anne Marchand, Vincent Cantin, Bernadette Murphy, Paula Stern, Martin Descarreaux

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

Head repositioning tasks have been used in different experimental and clinical contexts to quantitatively measure motor control performance. Effects of pain on sensorimotor control have often been described in various musculoskeletal conditions and may provide relevant information with regard to potential mechanisms underlying tension-type headaches. The purpose of the current study was to compare the performance of patients with tension-type headache and healthy participants in a cervical aiming task using the Fitts’ task paradigm.

Methods

Patients with tension-type headache and healthy controls were compared in a cervical aiming task. Participants were asked to move their head as quickly, and precisely as possible to a target under various experimental conditions. Dependent variables included movement time, variable error, constant error and absolute error.

Results

As predicted by Fitts’ law, decreasing target size and increasing head rotation amplitudes yielded longer movement times in both groups. Participants with tension-type headache, when compared to healthy participants showed a significant increase in both constant and absolute errors for each of the four conditions.

Conclusion

Decreased motor performance was observed in participants with tension-type headache, likely due to altered motor control of the neck musculature. Future research is warranted to investigate the clinical aspect related to decrease in motor performance.
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Metadata
Title
Is performance in goal oriented head movements altered in patients with tension type headache?
Authors
Andrée-Anne Marchand
Vincent Cantin
Bernadette Murphy
Paula Stern
Martin Descarreaux
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-15-179

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