“The Fly”: A New Clinical Assessment and Treatment Method for Deficits of Movement Control in the Cervical Spine

Abstract

The Fly method provides reliable and valid measures for movement control of the cervical spine. Higher means and wider LOA across patterns and subject groups are reasoned to be inherent in the new Fly method and the subject groups tested. The wide LOA in the symptomatic groups supports the development of a normative database. The new Fly method can be used both as an assessment and a treatment method and ensures gradual progression in the treatment for deficits of movement control in patients with neck pain.

Interactive cervical motion kinematics: Sensitivity, specificity and clinically significant values for identifying kinematic impairments in patients with chronic neck pain

“…The current study also demonstrated differences with respect to motion smoothness (NVP) and symmetry (TTPP). (Vikneet al, 2013, Kristjansson and Oddsdottir, 2010, Sarig Bahat et al , 2014a In the current study however, difference in NVP was unexpectedly higher, rather than lower, in the control subjects and was in contrast to our previous research. It had been hypothesized that normal smooth motion would consist of only one velocity peak.…”

“…In the current study neck movement accuracy was found to be impaired in the neck pain group by measuring the accumulated error between a moving target and the participant's moving head following that target. Neck motion accuracy has been studied previously using other methodologies and found to be impaired in patients with neck pain (Kristjansson andOddsdottir, 2010, Woodhouseet al, 2010a). Current findings are in agreement with these previous studies which seem to enhance the value of this measure in clinical assessment of patients with neck pain.…”

“…in patients with neck pain (Kristjansson andOddsdottir, 2010, Woodhouse et al , 2010a), this study investigated this measure for the first time in an interactive fashion. Kinematic measures were analyzed from the tracking data.…”

“…Theoretically, normal voluntary motion should have a near symmetrical bell-shaped velocity profile with a single velocity peak and equal acceleration and deceleration phases (Vikne et al , 2013). Studies have consistently showed that velocity and smoothness of cervical motion is reduced in patients with chronic neck pain (Sjölander et al , 2008, Roijezon et al , 2010, Tsang et al , 2013 and motion accuracy is impaired when compared to asymptomatic individuals (Kristjansson and Oddsdottir, 2010, Roijezonet al, 2010, Sarig Bahatet al, 2010, Woodhouse et al , 2010b.…”

Evidence for a general stiffening motor control pattern in neck pain: a cross sectional study

“…Neck pain patients may have delayed onset of deep neck flexors [4], increased activation of superficial neck flexors [5], jerky movement patterns [6], decreased cervical flexor endurance [7], lower movement velocity [8][9][10], decreased cervical muscle strength [11], reduced trajectory movement control [12], irregular and stiffer movement patterns [13,14], increased postural sway [15,16], and reduced joint position sense [17][18][19]. However, no single parameter stands out as representing motor dysfunction in the neck and studies typically use a subset of variables that vary between studies [17,20].…”