What is it about?
While it has long been suspected that muscle fatigue increases susceptibility to injury, there is no hard proof. This study for the first time shows that sustained fatiguing exertions of the neck cause the cervical spine to bend further, thus modifying neck mechanics and propensity for injury.
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Why is it important?
The study presents the most compelling evidence relating the prolonged sedentary work or overuse of electronic devices to the excessive stress experienced by the neck, and to the rising prevalence of neck pain. The foundational knowledge also provides a scientific rationale for dos and don'ts (e.g., dropped head position and/or heavy head-wearables) to prevent or deter the development of neck pain.
Perspectives
The findings reported in this paper were almost serendipitous. The proposed aims of this neck biomechanics project did not include the investigation of deflection of fatigued neck. We knew there must be some effects but did not expect consistent changes that could be detectable. Thanks to the high-precision dynamic X-ray imaging, we were able to capture the subtle but consistent changes that had never been reported. It was challenging to put this study in a theoretical framework when writing this paper. It was a great joy when everything came together and finally made sense.
Xudong Zhang
Texas A&M University College Station
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The deflection of fatigued neck, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, August 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401874121.
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