Isokinetic Assessment of Wrist Muscle Performance Among Medical Students With Neck Pain
Condition: Neck Pain
MeSH terms: Neck Pain
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      PURPOSES:

        1. To assess the effect of chronic non-specific neck pain on peak torque of wrist extensor
           and flexor muscles /body weight among Egyptian physical therapy students.

        2. To assess the effect of chronic non-specific neck pain on extensor / flexor wrist ratio
           among Egyptian physical therapy students.

        3. To assess the effect of chronic non-specific neck pain on wrist extensor and flexor
           muscles endurance among Egyptian physical therapy students.
    

Detailed description: 
      BACKGROUND:

      Although it is widely acknowledged that chronic non-specific neck pain is linked to hand
      disability as previously studied on dentists and ministry of health care stuff, there is
      still a gap in illustrating the effect of chronic non-specific neck pain on Egyptian physical
      therapy students' functional ability of wrist in the upper limb. However, the assessment of
      extensor / flexor wrist strength ratio has only recently gained attention. Furthermore, there
      is limited research investigating the strength control ratio that incorporates both
      concentric and eccentric muscle actions, and additional scientific evidence is needed to
      establish the relationship between chronic non-specific neck pain and upper limb disability.
      This study will be conducted to set new assessment and rehabilitation goals. This will
      subsequently be translated into home therapy program, contributing to decrease the burden of
      neck pain economically and on health care management.

      Our study aims to evaluate peak torque of wrist extensor and flexor muscle/ body weight and
      extensor / flexor wrist ratio and wrist extensor and flexor muscle endurance among Egyptian
      physical therapy students with non-specific neck pain. Torque results are adjusted for body
      weight and compared to normative data for the gender and activity specialty to determine
      whether the unaffected limb is strong enough to act as a reference for the afflicted limb
      also compared between right- and left-handed subjects.

      HYPOTHESES:

        -  There will be no significant effect of chronic non-specific neck pain on peak torque of
           wrist extensor and flexor muscles /body weight.

        -  There will be no significant effect of chronic non-specific neck pain on extensor /
           flexor wrist ratio.

        -  There will be no significant effect of chronic non-specific neck pain on wrist extensor
           and flexor muscles endurance.

      RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

        -  Does chronic non-specific neck pain affect wrist extensor and flexor muscles performance
           among Egyptian physical therapy students?

        -  Does chronic non-specific neck pain affect peak torque of wrist extensor and flexor
           muscles/ body weight among Egyptian physical therapy students?

        -  Does chronic non-specific neck pain affect extensor / flexor wrist ratio among Egyptian
           physical therapy students?

        -  Does chronic non-specific neck pain affect wrist extensor and flexor muscles endurance
           among Egyptian physical therapy students?
    

Observational model: Case-Control
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Participants were recruited from the physical therapy outpatients' clinics of Cairo
        University, and they were assigned into two groups (group A (control group) and group B
        (experimental group), with a sample size of approximately 44 participants and an
        anticipated 15% dropout rate (twenty-two in each group) calculated using the G Power test
        method.
      
Keywords: Muscle Strength; Muscle Fatigue; Dynamometer; Wrist