Objetivo: Avaliar a função da coluna cervical, utilizando testes clínicos cervicais em indivíduos com e sem Disfunção Temporomandibular (DTM) associados ou não ao relato de dor de cabeça. Métodos: Estudo Transversal. Foram avaliadas 57 mulheres com idade de 18 a 60 anos, divididas em dois grupos: DTM (n=40), e controle (n=17). Dada a alta frequência de relato de dor de cabeça a amostra de DTM foi estratificada em DTM com cefaleia (n=25) e DTM sem cefaleia (n=15). A incapacidade cervical foi avaliada pelo Índice de Incapacidade Cervical (NDI) e a dor na ATM pela Escala Visual Analógica de dor (EVA). A avaliação funcional da coluna cervical foi conduzida uma única avaliação por um examinador fisioterapeuta experiente e foi constituída pelos testes clínicos: análise da Amplitude de Movimento Ativa da Coluna Cervical (ADM); realização do Flexion-Rotation Test (FRT) e Cranio-Cervical Flexion Test (CCFT). Os sujeitos com DTM que relataram a presença de dores de cabeça foram instruídos a responder um questionário sobre as principais características da cefaleia referida. Para comparações entre os grupos foram aplicados ANOVA one way seguida por teste Post Hoc de Tukey ou por Teste Kruskall Wallis quando necessário. Para a análise de associação entre as variáveis categóricas foram aplicados Teste chi-quadrado ou Teste Exato de Fisher quando apropriado e para a análise de associação entre variáveis ordinais/contínua foram aplicados Testes de Correlação de Spearman. Resultados: Os indivíduos com DTM independente do relato de dor de cabeça apresentaram menor mobilidade no plano sagital, menores valores no FRT e apresentaram pior performance dos flexores profundos cervicais comparados aos controles (p<0.05). Além disso, os dados de ADM, FRT e CCFT foram associados com a intensidade de dor na ATM e a incapacidade cervical (p<0.01). Conclusão: Pacientes com DTM independente do relato de cefaleia apresentaram limitação na amplitude de flexão/extensão e do segmento C1-C2 da coluna cervical, além do menor desempenho dos músculos flexores profundos. Adicionalmente, a incapacidade cervical e a dor na ATM apresentaram correlação moderada com os testes funcionais cervicais nos indivíduos com DTM. / Objective: To evaluate the function of the cervical spine, using cervical clinical tests in individuals with and without Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)associated or not to the report of headache. Methods: Were analyzed 57 women with age between 18 and 60 years, divided in two groups: TMD (n=40) and control (n=17). Given the high frequency of headache report, the TMD sample was stratified into TMD with headache (n=25) and TMD without headache (n=15). Cervical disability was assessed by the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and TMJ pain by the Visual Analogue Scale of pain (VAS). The functional evaluation of the cervical spine was conducted by a physiotherapeutic examiner with 10 years of experience and was constituted by the clinical tests: Analysis of the Cervical Range of Motion (CROM); Flexion-Rotation Test (FRT) and Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT). Subjects with TMD who reported the presence of headaches were instructed to answer 11 questions that contained the main characteristics of referred headache. For comparisons between control groups, TMD with Headache and TMD without Headache, ANOVA was applied one way followed by Tukey\'s Post Hoc test or by Kruskall Wallis test when necessary. For the analysis of association between the categorical variables, chi-square test or Fisher\'s exact test were applied when appropriate and for analysis of association between ordinal / continuous variables, Spearman\'s Correlation Tests were applied. Results: Individuals with TMD independent of headache report showed less mobility in the sagittal plane, lower values in FRT and showed worse performance of the deep cervical flexors compared to Controls (p<0.05). In addition, CROM, FRT and CCFT were associated with an intensity of TMJ pain and cervical disability (p <0.01). Conclusion: Patients with TMD independently of the headache report showed limited flexion / extension range and C1-C2 segment of the cervical spine, as well as deficits in the performance of the deep flexor muscles. In addition, a cervical disability and TMJ pain report showed a moderate correlation with the functional tests of FRT and CCFT in individuals with TMD.

Objetivo: Avaliar a função da coluna cervical, utilizando testes clínicos cervicais em indivíduos com e sem Disfunção Temporomandibular (DTM) associados ou não ao relato de dor de cabeça. Métodos: Estudo Transversal. Foram avaliadas 57 mulheres com idade de 18 a 60 anos, divididas em dois grupos: DTM (n=40), e controle (n=17). Dada a alta frequência de relato de dor de cabeça a amostra de DTM foi estratificada em DTM com cefaleia (n=25) e DTM sem cefaleia (n=15). A incapacidade cervical foi avaliada pelo Índice de Incapacidade Cervical (NDI) e a dor na ATM pela Escala Visual Analógica de dor (EVA). A avaliação funcional da coluna cervical foi conduzida uma única avaliação por um examinador fisioterapeuta experiente e foi constituída pelos testes clínicos: análise da Amplitude de Movimento Ativa da Coluna Cervical (ADM); realização do Flexion-Rotation Test (FRT) e Cranio-Cervical Flexion Test (CCFT). Os sujeitos com DTM que relataram a presença de dores de cabeça foram instruídos a responder um questionário sobre as principais características da cefaleia referida. Para comparações entre os grupos foram aplicados ANOVA one way seguida por teste Post Hoc de Tukey ou por Teste Kruskall Wallis quando necessário. Para a análise de associação entre as variáveis categóricas foram aplicados Teste chi-quadrado ou Teste Exato de Fisher quando apropriado e para a análise de associação entre variáveis ordinais/contínua foram aplicados Testes de Correlação de Spearman. Resultados: Os indivíduos com DTM independente do relato de dor de cabeça apresentaram menor mobilidade no plano sagital, menores valores no FRT e apresentaram pior performance dos flexores profundos cervicais comparados aos controles (p<0.05). Além disso, os dados de ADM, FRT e CCFT foram associados com a intensidade de dor na ATM e a incapacidade cervical (p<0.01). Conclusão: Pacientes com DTM independente do relato de cefaleia apresentaram limitação na amplitude de flexão/extensão e do segmento C1-C2 da coluna cervical, além do menor desempenho dos músculos flexores profundos. Adicionalmente, a incapacidade cervical e a dor na ATM apresentaram correlação moderada com os testes funcionais cervicais nos indivíduos com DTM. / Objective: To evaluate the function of the cervical spine, using cervical clinical tests in individuals with and without Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)associated or not to the report of headache. Methods: Were analyzed 57 women with age between 18 and 60 years, divided in two groups: TMD (n=40) and control (n=17). Given the high frequency of headache report, the TMD sample was stratified into TMD with headache (n=25) and TMD without headache (n=15). Cervical disability was assessed by the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and TMJ pain by the Visual Analogue Scale of pain (VAS). The functional evaluation of the cervical spine was conducted by a physiotherapeutic examiner with 10 years of experience and was constituted by the clinical tests: Analysis of the Cervical Range of Motion (CROM); Flexion-Rotation Test (FRT) and Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT). Subjects with TMD who reported the presence of headaches were instructed to answer 11 questions that contained the main characteristics of referred headache. For comparisons between control groups, TMD with Headache and TMD without Headache, ANOVA was applied one way followed by Tukey\'s Post Hoc test or by Kruskall Wallis test when necessary. For the analysis of association between the categorical variables, chi-square test or Fisher\'s exact test were applied when appropriate and for analysis of association between ordinal / continuous variables, Spearman\'s Correlation Tests were applied. Results: Individuals with TMD independent of headache report showed less mobility in the sagittal plane, lower values in FRT and showed worse performance of the deep cervical flexors compared to Controls (p<0.05). In addition, CROM, FRT and CCFT were associated with an intensity of TMJ pain and cervical disability (p <0.01). Conclusion: Patients with TMD independently of the headache report showed limited flexion / extension range and C1-C2 segment of the cervical spine, as well as deficits in the performance of the deep flexor muscles. In addition, a cervical disability and TMJ pain report showed a moderate correlation with the functional tests of FRT and CCFT in individuals with TMD.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Background : Chronic non-specific neck pain is a common condition that negatively affects cervical muscle functioning and activities of daily living. Combined exercise and mobilisation are currently recommended as the most effective treatment for this condition. Mobilisation, such as mobilisation of the cervical spine, provides short-term pain relief and affects neural activity, while the craniocervical flexion exercise provides immediate pain relief and activates the deep cervical flexors. The short-term effect of mobilisation and the craniocervical flexion exercise have not been compared. Objectives : This study aimed to compare mobilisation and craniocervical flexion exercise in terms of subjective and objective outcome measures at a short-term follow-up consultation for the treatment of chronic non-specific neck pain. The null-hypothesis was that the mobilisation group would not respond differently to the craniocervical flexion exercise group. Method : A group of thirty females between the ages of 20 and 35 complaining of non-specific neck pain for more than three months were randomly allocated into either the mobilisation or craniocervical flexion exercise groups. During the first two consultations, a mobilisation was administered to the mobilisation group. Whereas the craniocervical flexion exercise and a posture correcting exercise were taught to the participants of the craniocervical flexion exercise group. The Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Neck Disability Index, Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire, cervical range of motion and algometer readings were taken at each of the three consultations. The Patient Global Impression of Change Scale was administered at the last consultation one week after the first consultation. Results : Both the mobilisation and craniocervical flexion exercise groups showed significant improvements in all of the subjective outcomes. The Neck Disability Index score of the craniocervical flexion exercise group was the only subjective outcome that did not decrease enough to be considered clinically significant. The PGIC score of the mobilisation group was slightly higher than that of the craniocervical flexion exercise group. There was no statistically significant improvement in the objective outcomes of either group. All ranges of motion decreased in both groups, while pain pressure threshold improved in both groups. There was no significant difference between the results of the subjective and objective outcomes of the mobilisation and craniocervical flexion exercise groups. Conclusions and recommendations : The two interventions were found to have a similar effect in the treatment of chronic non-specific neck pain in terms of subjective and objective outcome measures. Participants of both groups indicated on the subjective scales that their conditions improved, even though objective outcomes showed no significant change. In future studies, a larger sample size should be used and the sample should be stratified for ethnicity to increase validity of the results.

Title: Effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on strengthening of deep neck flexors in patients with cervicogenic headache Objectives: The aim of this diploma thesis is to investigate the effectiveness of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on relieving or reduction headaches in patients diagnosed with cervicogenic headache. Methods: This is a pilot study involving 10 patients diagnosed with cervicogenic headache in the age range of 23-41 years. Patients participated in proprioceptive neuromuscular head and neck therapy, which took place 3 times per week for 5 weeks. Patients on the first and last therapy completed the Neck Disability Index, the measurements were done twice a week. It was a measurement of performance index of deep neck flexors by means of a craniocervical flexion test and evaluation of pain on visual analogue scales. The statistical method - paired t-test was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: The results of this thesis show that proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation therapy is effective in elimination or reduction of headaches in patients diagnosed with cervicogenic headache. Keywords: cervicogenic headache, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, craniocervical flexion test, Neck Disability Index, physiotherapy