Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Paths of the cervical instantaneous axis of rotation during active movements—patterns and reliability

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The instantaneous helical axis (IHA) is a characteristic of neck movement that is very sensitive to changes in coordination and that has potential in the assessment of functional alterations. For its application in the clinical setting, normative patterns must be available, and its reliability must be established. The purpose of this work is to describe the continuous paths of the IHA during cyclic movements of flexion-extension (FE), lateral bending (LB), and axial rotation (AR) and to quantify their reliability. Fifteen healthy volunteers participated in the study; two repetitions were made on the same day (by different operators) and over an 8-day interval (by the same operator) to evaluate the inter-operator and inter-session reliability, respectively. The paths described by the IHA suggest a sequential movement of the vertebrae in the FE movement, with a large vertical displacement (mean, 10 cm). The IHA displacement in LB and AR movements are smaller. The paths described by the IHAs have a very high reliability for FE movement, although it is somewhat lower for LB and RA movements. The standard error of measurement (SEM) is less than 0.5 cm. These results show that the paths of the IHA are reliable enough to evaluate changes in the coordination of intervertebral movement.

A video photogrammetry system is used to record the cyclic movements of the neck, from which the continuous trajectories of the associated instantaneous helical axis (IHA) are calculated. We have analyzed the movements of flexion-extension (FE), lateral flexion (LB), and axial rotation (AR) for a sample of 15 healthy subjects. The measurements have been repeated with two different operators (in the same session) and in two separate sessions (same operator). IHA displacement patterns have been obtained in each movement, and the reliability of the measurement of such IHA trajectories has been estimated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Snodgrass SJ, Cleland JA, Haskins R, Rivett DA et al (2014) The clinical utility of cervical range of motion in diagnosis, prognosis, and evaluating the effects of manipulation: a systematic review. Physiotherapy 100:290–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Stenneberg MS, Rood M, de Bie R et al (2017) To what degree does active cervical range of motion differ between patients with neck pain, patients with whiplash, and those without neck pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 8:1407–1434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. van Trijffel E, Anderegg Q, Bossuyt PMM, Lucas C (2005) Inter-examiner reliability of passive assessment of intervertebral motion in the cervical and lumbar spine: a systematic review. Man Ther 10:256–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Bahat HS, Chen X, Reznik D et al (2015) Interactive cervical motion kinematics: sensitivity. specificity and clinically significant values for identifying kinematic impairments in patients with chronic neck pain. Man Ther 20:295–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Baydal-Bertomeu JM, Page AF, Belda-Lois JM, Garrido-Jaén D, Prat JM (2011) Neck motion patterns in whiplash-associated disorders: quantifying variability and spontaneity of movement. Clin Biomech 26:29–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Röijezon U, Djupsjöbacka M, Björklund M et al (2010) Kinematics of fast cervical rotations in persons with chronic neck pain: a cross-sectional and reliability study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 11:222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Sjölander P, Michaelson P, Jaric S, Djupsjöbacka M (2008) Sensorimotor disturbances in chronic neck pain—range of motion, peak velocity, smoothness of movement, and repositioning acuity. Man Ther 13:122–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Michiels S, De Hertogh W, Truijen S et al (2013) The assessment of cervical sensory motor control: a systematic review focusing on measuring methods and their clinimetric characteristics. Gait Posture 38:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. de Zoete RM, Osmotherly PG, Rivett DA, Farrell SF, Snodgrass SJ (2017) Sensorimotor control in individuals with idiopathic neck pain and healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 98:1257–1271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Woltring HJ, Long K, Osterbauer PJ, Fuhr AW (1994) Instantaneous helical axis estimation from 3-D video data in neck kinematics for whiplash diagnostics. J Biomech 27:1415–1432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Anderst WJ, Donaldson WF, Lee JY, Kang JD (2015) Three-dimensional intervertebral kinematics in the healthy young adult cervical spine during dynamic functional loading. J Biomech 48:1286–1293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Baillargeon E, Anderst WJ (2013) Sensitivity, reliability and accuracy of the instant center of rotation calculation in the cervical spine during in vivo dynamic flexion-extension. J Biomech 46:670–676

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Bogduk N, Mercer S (2000) Biomechanics of the cervical spine. I: Normal kinematics. Clin Biomech 15:633–648

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Page A, de Rosario H, Mata V, Porcar R, Solaz J, Such MJ (2009) Kinematics of the trunk in sitting posture: an analysis based on the instantaneous axis of rotation. Ergonomics 52:695–706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Page A, de Rosario H, Gálvez JA, Mata V (2011) Representation of planar motion of complex joints by means of rolling pairs. Application to neck motion. J Biomech 44:747–750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Ellingson AM, Yelisetti V, Schulz CA, Bronfort G, Downing J, Keefe DF, Nuckley DJ (2013) Instantaneous helical axis methodology to identify aberrant neck motion. Clin Biomech 28:731–735

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Grip H, Sundelin G, Gerdle B, Karlsson JS (2007) Variations in the axis of motion during head repositioning–a comparison of subjects with whiplash-associated disorders or non-specific neck pain and healthy controls. Clin Biomech 22:865–873

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Grip H, Sundelin G, Gerdle B, Karlsson JS (2008) Cervical helical axis characteristics and its center of rotation during active head and upper arm movements—comparisons of whiplash-associated disorders, non-specific neck pain and asymptomatic individuals. J Biomech 41:2799–2805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Alsultan F, Cescon C, De Nunzio A et al (2019) Variability of the helical axis during active cervical movements in people with chronic neck pain. Clin Biomech 62:50–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Barbero M, Falla D, Clijsen R, Ghirlanda F, Schneebeli A, Ernst MJ, Cescon C (2017) Can parameters of the helical axis be measured reliably during active cervical movements? Musculoskelet Sci Pract 27:150–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Li ZM (2004) Functional degrees of freedom. Mot Control 10:301–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Page A, Galvez JA, de Rosario H, Mata V, Prat J (2010) Optimal average path of the instantaneous helical axis in planar motions with one functional degree of freedom. J Biomech 43:375–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Page A, de Rosario H, Mata V et al (2006) Effect of marker cluster design on the accuracy of human movement analysis using stereophotogrammetry. Med Biol Eng Comput 44:1113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Díaz-Rodríguez M, Valera A, Page A et al (2016) Dynamic parameter identification of subject-specific body segment parameters using robotics formalism: case study head complex. J Biomech Eng 138:051009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Page A, de Rosario H, Mata V, Atienza C (2009) Experimental analysis of rigid body motion. A vector method to determine finite and infinitesimal displacements from point coordinates. J Mech Des 131:031005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Woltring HJ (1994) 3-D attitude representation of human joints: a standardization proposal. J Biomech 27:1399–1414

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Wu G, Siegler S, Allard P, Kirtley C, Leardini A, Rosenbaum D, Whittle M, D'Lima DD, Cristofolini L, Witte H, Schmid O, Stokes I, Standardization and Terminology Committee of the International Society of Biomechanics (2002) ISB recommendation on definitions of joint coordinate system of various joints for the reporting of human joint motion—part I: ankle, hip, and spine. J Biomech 35:543–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Weir JP (2005) Quantifying test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient and the SEM. J Strength Cond Res 19:231–240

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Garofalo P, Cutti AG, Filipi MV et al (2009) Inter-operator reliability and prediction bands of a novel protocol to measure the coordinated movements of shoulder-girdle and humerus inc clinical settings. Med Biol Eng Comput 47:475–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Duhamel A, Bourriez JL, Devos P, Krystkowiak P, Destée A, Derambure P, Defebvre L (2004) Statistical tools for clinical gait analysis. Gait Posture 20:204–212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Jaspers E, Feys H, Bruyninckx H, Harlaar J, Molenaers G, Desloovere K (2011) Upper limb kinematics: development and reliability of a clinical protocol for children. Gait Posture 33:279–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Jordan K (2000) Assessment of published reliability studies for cervical spine range-of-motion measurement tools. J Manip Physiol Ther 23:180–195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. de Koning CH, van den Heuvel SP, Staal JB, Smits-Engelsman BC, Hendriks EJ (2008) Clinimetric evaluation of active range of motion measures in patients with non-specific neck pain: a systematic review. Eur Spine J 17:905–921

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Williams MA, McCarthy CJ, Chorti A et al (2010) A systematic review of reliability and validity studies of methods for measuring active and passive cervical range of motion. J Manip Physiol Ther 33:138–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Tsang SM, Szeto GP, Lee RY (2013) Movement coordination and differential kinematics of the cervical and thoracic spines in people with chronic neck pain. Clin Biomech 28:610–617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Michiels S, Hallemans A, Van de Heyning P et al (2014) Measurement of cervical sensorimotor control: the reliability of a continuous linear movement test. Man Ther 19:399–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Bahat HS, Sprecher E, Sela I, Treleaven J (2016) Neck motion kinematics: an inter-tester reliability study using an interactive neck VR assessment in asymptomatic individuals. Eur Spine J 25:2139–2148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Assink N, Bergman GJ, Knoester B et al (2005) Interobserver reliability of neck-mobility measurement by means of the flock-of-birds electromagnetic tracking system. J Manip Physiol Ther 28:408–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Anderst W, Baillargeon E, Donaldson W, Lee J, Kang J (2013) Motion path of the instant center of rotation in the cervical spine during in vivo dynamic flexion-extension: implications for artificial disc design and evaluation of motion quality following arthrodesis. Spine 38:E594–E601

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was partially supported by the Spanish Government and co-financed by EU FEDER funds (Grant DPI2017-84201-R). The work of W. Venegas was supported by the Escuela Politécnica Nacional de Quito (Proj. PIJ-1508).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, c/ Ladrón de Guevara E11-253, 17012759, Quito, Ecuador

    William Venegas

  2. Department of Physiotherapy, Universitat de València, Carrer de Gascó Oliag, 5, E46010, Valencia, Spain

    Marta Inglés & Pilar Serra-Añó

  3. Instituto Universitario de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n E46022, Valencia, Spain

    Álvaro Page

Authors
  1. William Venegas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marta Inglés
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Álvaro Page
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pilar Serra-Añó
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Álvaro Page.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Venegas, W., Inglés, M., Page, Á. et al. Paths of the cervical instantaneous axis of rotation during active movements—patterns and reliability. Med Biol Eng Comput 58, 1147–1157 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-020-02153-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-020-02153-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation