Range of motion of the neck.

Abstract

The high incidence of injuries of the neck emphasizes the need for more accurate measure­ ment of range of motion to evaluate the extent of injury and to measure progress during treat­ ment. Studies by Buck,1 Blanchard,2 and Leighton3 have listed normal ranges of motion in flexion, extension and rotation of the neck. Pub­ lished information is not available on the range of flexion-extension with the neck in a rotated position. Yet, this movement frequently appears to be more painful and more limited than the motion in the customary planes. We devised a method for measuring neck flexion and extension in maximal rotation. In addition, measurements of neck flexion, exten­ sion and rotation were made using a method similar to that described by Buck. Results were compared with other studies. The subjects for this study were fifty women between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four. None of them gave a history of injury or dis­ ease of the neck. The equipment included a 180° goniometer with six-inch arms, and a bubble goniometer with a double scale (identical to the one used by Buck).