Cervical muscle activation in response to an extensor endurance test in individuals with and without neck pain: a muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Colman, David; Pesesse, Pierre; Vanderthommen, Marc; Cagnie, Barbara; Kempinaire, Gautier; Laurent, Philippe; Bellier, Pierre; Monseur, Justine; Demoulin, Christophe

doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2026.103522

Article (Scientific journals)

Cervical muscle activation in response to an extensor endurance test in individuals with and without neck pain: a muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Colman, David; Pesesse, Pierre; Vanderthommen, Marc et al.

2026 • In Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 82, p. 103522

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/343405

DOI
10.1016/j.msksp.2026.103522

PubMed
41722372

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Keywords :

Cervical extensor muscles; Endurance; Exercise; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neck pain

Abstract :

[en] [en] BACKGROUND: Altered cervical muscle recruitment is frequently reported in chronic neck pain, but the relative involvement of deep and superficial muscles during endurance tasks remains unclear. Muscle functional MRI allows non-invasive quantification of muscle recruitment in response to a standardized exercise. OBJECTIVES: To investigate cervical muscle recruitment in response to the cervical extensor endurance test in individuals with and without chronic neck pain. DESIGN: Cross-sectional laboratory-based study. METHOD: Sixteen participants with chronic neck pain and thirteen matched controls performed a 3-min cervical extensor endurance test. T2-weighted MRI scans were acquired before and after exercise at C2/C3 and C7/T1. T2 shifts were calculated for nine bilateral cervical muscles. Perceived effort and post-test pain were recorded. Linear mixed-effects models assessed time, group, and interaction effects, and Cohen's d quantified changes. RESULTS: All participants completed the test. Significant time effects were observed for deep cervical extensors at C7/T1 in both groups, with slightly greater post-exercise T2 shifts in controls. At C2/C3, sternocleidomastoid activation increased over time in both groups. Participants with neck pain showed numerically greater T2 shifts and larger effect sizes in superficial extensor muscles, but group × time interactions were not significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Perceived effort was higher in the neck pain group. CONCLUSIONS: Deep cervical extensor activation during endurance testing appears preserved in individuals with neck pain, alongside more variable superficial muscle involvement and higher perceived effort. mfMRI provides mechanistic insight into cervical muscle behavior and may inform refinement of endurance test execution and termination criteria.

Disciplines :

Orthopedics, rehabilitation & sports medicine

Author, co-author :

Colman, David ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des Sciences de l'activité physique et de la réadaptation

Pesesse, Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des Sciences de l'activité physique et de la réadaptation

Vanderthommen, Marc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des Sciences de l'activité physique et de la réadaptation > Kinésithérapie spécifique et réadaptation motrice

Cagnie, Barbara; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium

Kempinaire, Gautier ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service médical de radiodiagnostic

Laurent, Philippe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'électricité, électronique et informatique (Institut Montefiore) > Systèmes microélectroniques intégrés

Bellier, Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'électricité, électronique et informatique (Institut Montefiore) > Systèmes microélectroniques intégrés

Monseur, Justine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Biostatistique

Demoulin, Christophe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des Sciences de l'activité physique et de la réadaptation > Kinésithérapie spécifique et réadaptation motrice

Language :

English

Title :

Cervical muscle activation in response to an extensor endurance test in individuals with and without neck pain: a muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Publication date :

18 February 2026

Journal title :

Musculoskeletal Science and Practice

ISSN :

2468-8630

eISSN :

2468-7812

Publisher :

Elsevier BV, Netherlands

Volume :

Pages :

103522

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2468781226000378?httpAccept=text/xml

Funders :

ULiège - University of Liège

Available on ORBi :

since 29 March 2026

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