To Study the Effect of Neck Pain on Verticality Perception Using Rod&frame Test (rft) as a Quantification of Spatial Orientation

OBJECTIVES: 1) To study effect of neck pain on verticality perception using Rod&Frame Test. 2) To find out the changes in the proprioception after relief of pain

DESIGN: Cohort study comparing the perception of verticality in patients with neck pain pre&post treatment

METHODOLOGY: 60 subjects in the age group of 20-40 years having mechanical neck pain were selected&tested on the RFT. The RFT was used as a noninvasive method of measuring the perception of verticality. The Rod&Frame Device was tested for the inter ( r = 0.90 )&intra ( r = 0.91 ) rater reliability on 80 nonsymptomatic subjects as a pre requisite of the study. The RFT requires the subject to set a luminescent rod to the true vertical in presence&absence of a luminescent background frame. The amount of rotation in degrees was measured&recorded by a dial on the back of the device. The pain score on the VAS scale were recorded pre&post treatment which consisted of electrotherapy&exercises

RESULTS: The perception of verticality was found to be reduced (p<0.05) on RFT in patients with neck pain. ANOVA showed statistically significant difference (p< 0.05) in the RFT scores after relief of pain

CONCLUSION: The impairment in the verticality perception indicates that pain has an effect on the proprioceptive mechanism in the cervical spine. Post treatment as nociceptive inflow is reduced there is improvement in the verticality perception.