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Table 5 Description of studies measuring joint position sense

From: Electronic measures of movement impairment, repositioning, and posture in people with and without neck pain—a systematic review

First author, year, design

Study population

Testing circumstances

Device

Comparison of joint position sense between groups

Type of neck pain, pain duration, pain intensity, sex (♂,♀), mean age (SD), mean BMI (SD) recruitment, occupation

Controls’ sex (♂,♀), mean age (SD), mean BMI (SD), recruitment, occupation

Examiners professional background, training, blinding

Instruction standardised, type of test, training, repeated, restrictions applied*

Type, sample rate (Hz), measurement error, LOA, ICC, SEM

Neck pain group I, type degrees (SD)

Neck pain group II, type degrees (SD)

Healthy controls type degrees (SD)

Alahmari 2017, cross-sectional

NP, 24 (10.8) weeks, 48.6 mm (21.3), NRNR (Total 42) , 47.4 (18.8), 23.8 (3.2), physical therapy clinic, NR

NR NR total 42, 47.8 (15.2), 25.9 (3.4), advertisement, NR

NR, NR, NR

Yes, mid-range task, NR, yes, sitting (F/E task), supine (rotation task), back support, yes, NR, NR, NR

Digital inclinometer (Dualer IQ; JTECH Medical, Salt Lake City, UT), NR, NR, NR, NR, NR

NP, mid-range task: F: 6.79 (1.41), E: 7.74 (1.66), RR: 6.33 (0.79), RL: 7.21 (1.32)

 

HC, mid-range task: F: 2.57 (1.30)a, E: 2.95 (1.10)a, RR: 1.95 (1.44)a, RL: 2.14 (1.57)a

Armstrong 2005, case control

WAD II and III, 28.5 (19.5) months, NPRS 4.7 (1.6), 8♂, 15♀, 41.2 (11.9), 24.7 (4.7), local newspaper, NR

10♂, 13♀, 33.9 (12.1), 23.4 (3.2), local newspaper, NR

NR, NR, NR

Yes, yes, AROM and JPE, NR, NR, Sitting, back support, No, to pain limit, NR, blindfolded

3-Space Fastrak, 40 Hz, 0,2, NR, > 0,96, NR

WAD. Mid-range tasks: 2.97 (1.15), neutral range tasks: 3.55 (1.72)

 

HC. Mid-range tasks: 2.43 (0.62), neutral range tasks: 3.25 (2.32)

Bahat 2015, case control

CNP, 93.03 (104.46) months, VAS 36.42 (17.24) mm, 13♂, 20♀, 37.56 (9.95), NR (NR), University of Queensland and University of Haifa

15♂, 8♀, 33 (678), NR (NR), University of Queensland and University of Haifa, NR

Physiotherapists, experienced, NR

Yes, hit a target, yes, yes, sitting, fixed to back support, 40° of range, fast as possible, no

Head mounted display with a built-in motion tracker (Wrap™ 1200VR by Vuzix, New York, www.vuzix.com), 30 Hz, NR, NR, NR, NR

CNP. Follow a target: F (x,y): (25.53 (12), 70.83 (28.7), E (x,y): (36.16 (21.4), 59.76 (24.3)), LR (x,y): (57.4 (20.9), 30.62 (14.8), RR (x,y): (48.98 (22.7), 27.52 (11.2)

 

HC. Follow a target: F (x,y): (15.31a (4.6), 44.51a (11.6), E (x,y): (22.89 (28), 34.12a (8.3), LR (x,y): (43.35a (16.7), 27.16 (8.1), RR (x,y): (36.00a (8.4), 25.73 (7.5)

Dugailly 2015, case control

CNP, > 6 months, NR (NR), 11♂, 24♀, 42 (8), NR (NR), NR, NR.

14♂, 22♀, 42 (5), NR (NR), NR, NR

NR, NR, NR

NR, repositioning task, NR, yes, sitting, back support, no, NR, unclear, yes

Three dimensional electrogoniometer (OSI CA 6000 Spine Motion Analyzer), NR, NR, NR, NR, NR

CNP. slow RR: 4.9 (2.5), slow LR: 5.2 (2.7), slow F: 4.8 (2.6), slow E: 6.8 (3.3), fast RR: 5 (2.3), fast LR: 5 (3), fast F: 5.2 (2.8), fast E: 7.1 (3.6)

 

HC. slow RR: 3.1a (1.3), slow LR: 2.8a (1.3), slow F: 2.6a (1.5), slow E: 3.1a (1.4), fast RR: 2.8a (1.7), fast LR: 2.9a (1.2), fast F: 3.2a (2.7), fast E: 3.6a (2.1)

Cheng 2009, case control

CNP, 4.4 (2.2 ) years, NPRS 3.7 (0.8), 6♂, 6♀, 25.4 (2.1), NR (NR), NR, graduated students, teachers, or clinicians

7♂, 5♀, 24.9 (1.8), NR (NR), NR, graduated students

NR, NR, NR

NR, neck flexion/ extension, yes, NR, sitting, back support, yes, not end range, self-selected, no

Electrogoniometer (CXTLA02, Crossbow, Inc., San Jose, CA, USA), NR, 0.1°, NR, NR, NR

CNP, neutral flexion neutral (CE): 7.1 (3.5), neutral extension neutral (CE): 6.3 (4.7)

 

HC, neutral flexion neutral (CE): 3.5a (1.8), neutral extension neutral (CE): 4.2a (3.3)

Edmondston 2007, case control

Postural neck pain, 5.2 (4.28) years, VAS 48.3 (14.81) mm, 10♂11♀, 29.0 (7.36), NR, advertisement, NR

10♂ 12♀, 25.7 (5.95), NR, advertising, NR

Experienced physiotherapist, NR, NR

Yes, habitual sitting posture, perceived good posture and JPE, yes, yes, sitting, no, NA, NA, blindfolded

System (PEAK Performance Technologies Inc., Centen-PEAK Performance Technologies Inc., Centennial, CO, USA), 50 Hz,5 mm, NR, NR, NR

Postural neck pain, cervicothoracic angle: ≈ 2.1 (1.25), head tilt angle: ≈ 3.3 (2,6), Cx protraction angle: ≈ 2.5 (1.9), shoulder protraction angle: ≈ 1.4 (1,0)

 

HC, cervicothoracic angle: ≈ 1.4 (0.75), head tilt angle: ≈ 2,9 (2.1), Cx protraction angle: ≈ 2.7 (1.7), shoulder protraction angle: ≈ 1.3 (0.8)

Feipel 2006, case control

WAD, 31 (32) moths, NR (NR), 11♂, 18♀, 37 (14), NR (NR), NR, NR

12♂, 14♀, 35 (11), NR (NR), NR, NR

NR, NR, NR

YES, ROM (F/E and R) HRE, yes, yes, sitting back support, no, end range, self-selected, yes and no

3D electrogoniometer (CA 6000 Spine Motion Analyzer, O.S.I., Union City, CA),100 Hz, NR, NR, NR, NR

WAD, neutral F/E: 3.5 (2.4), neutral R: 1.1 (1.1), neutral LF: 0.8 (0.6)

 

HC, neutral F/E: 2.1 (2.0), neutral R: 0.6 (0.5), neutral LF: 0.4 (0.3)

Grip 2007, case control

CNP, > 3 months, VAS 49.2 (20.8) mm, 7♂, 14♀, 49 (16), NR (NR), rehabilitation clinics and medical centres, NR. WAD I and I, > 3 months, VAS 66.1 (18.8) mm, 5♂, 17♀, 49 (15), NR (NR), rehabilitation clinics and medical centres, NR

8♂, 16♀, 50 (18), NR (NR), advertisement, NR

Research assistant, NR, NR

Yes, AROM, JPE, yes, yes, sitting, NR, no, end range self-selected, eyes closed

Myrin device and ProReflex system (Qualisys Medical AB, Gothenburg, Sweden), 120, 0.8 (1.73), NR, NR, NR

CNP, absolute error F: 2.8 (1.2), E: 2.9 (1.3), RR: 3.7 (1.6), LR: 3.6 (3.0)

WAD, absolute error F: 3.4 (1.6), E: 3.5 (1.8), RR: 3.7 (1.9), LR: 4.0 (2.1)

HC, absolute error F: 2.9 (0.9), E: 2.7 (1.0), RR: 3.1 (1.3), LR: 3.5 (1.3)

Harvie 2016, case control

CNP, 12(10) years, NDI 29% (0.13), 6♂, 18♀, 44 (15), NR (NR), local physical therapy clinics, NR

6♂, 18♀, 45 (15), NR (NR), local physical therapy, BodyinMind.org website, university campus noticeboards, NR

NR, NR, NR

Yes, relocation to neutral, NR, yes, sitting, back support, fixed to back support, set limit, NR, no

Oculus VR, Menlo Park, California, NR, NR, NR, NR, NR

CNP. Absolute error: 3.3 (1.5)

 

HC. Absolute error: 2.8 (1.1)

Kristjansson 2004, case control

WAD II and III, > 6 months, < 6 years, NR, 0♂20♀, NR, BR, physiotherapy clinics, NR

0♂ 20♀, NR, NR, NR, NR

NR, NR, yes

Yes, motion trekking ‘the fly’, yes, yes, sitting, back support, no, NA, fixed, no

3-Space Fastrak system, NR, 0.2°, > 0.6, < 0.86, NR, NR

WAD, movement pattern A: 5.17, movement pattern B: 4.65, movement pattern C: 4.97

 

HC, movement pattern A: 3.97a, movement pattern B: 3.51a, movement pattern C: 3.97a

Kristjansson 2010, case control

Non-traumatic neck pain, > 6 months, < 6 years, **VASmax 6.7 (2.6), 7♂11♀, 38.0 (8.3), NR, NR, NR. WAD (II), NR, VASmax 8.0 (1.4), 2♂16♀, 35.5 (11.9), NR, NR, NR

10♂ 8♀, 32.2 (10.9), NR, NR, NR

Research assistant, NR, yes

Yes, follow a target, yes, yes, sitting, NR, NR, NR, NR, no

3-Space Fastrak system, NR, NR, − 0.89 mm to 1.03 mm, 0.78 (0.74–0.81), NR

Non-traumatic NP: Easy (mm) 2.06 (0.52). Medium (mm) 2.70 (0.88). Difficult (mm) 3.42 (1.30)

WAD (II): Easy 2.52 (0.78). Medium (mm) 3.45 (1.45). Difficult (mm) 4.09 (1.51)

HC: Easy (mm) 1.78 (0.33)b. Medium (mm) 2.17 (0.44)ab. Difficult (mm) 2.64 (0.52)ab

Meisingset 2015, case control

NP, > 2 weeks, NPRS 4.6 (1.4), 20♂, 55♀, 43.1 (12.9), 24.9 (4.7), private physiotherapy clinic and specialised neck and back pain clinic at university hospital, NR

43♂, 48♀, 40.8 (13.8), 25 (3.5), university hospital, NR

Physiotherapist, well trained, NR

Unclear, AROM, JPE, follow a motion pattern, unclear, yes, sitting, back support, fixed to back support, end range, self-selected, yes (JPE test)

Electromagnetic motion tracker system (Polhemus, Inc, Colchester, Vermont, USA), 240 Hz, NR, NR, NR, NR

NP. Head reposition: 5.6 (2.2), figure of eight low speed (cm): 3.4 (1.3), figure of eight high speed (cm): 4.4 (1.8), figure of eight standing low speed (cm): 2.9 (0.9). Fly easy (cm): 2.2 (0.9), fly medium (cm): 3.1 (0.9)

 

HC. Head reposition: 5.1 (1.9), figure of eight low speed (cm): 3.8 (1.4), figure of eight high speed (cm): 5.2a (1.9), figure of eight standing low speed (cm): 3.3 (1.5). Fly easy (cm): 2.5a (0.9), fly medium (cm): 3.3 (1.5)

Woodhouse 2008, case control

WAD I and II, > 6 months, NPRS 5.60 (2.49), 22♂, 34♀, 38.19 (10.8), NR (NR), referred, NR. CNP, > 6 months, NPRS 3.84 (− 1.74), 19♂, 38♀, 43.7 (12.6), NR (0), physiotherapists and general practitioners, NR

29♂, 28♀, 38.2 (10.9), NR (NR), different, NR

NR, NR, no

NR, AROM, NR, yes, sitting, NR, end range, NR, eyes closed

3-Space Fastrak, 120 Hz, reference, NR, NR, NR

WAD, neutral task: 3.35 (1.6)

CNP, neutral task: 3.17 (1.1)

HC, neutral task: 2.86 (1.2)

  1. Abbreviations: AROM active range of motion, BMI body mass index, CNP chronic neck pain, CE constant error, F/E flexion/extension, HC healthy controls, HRE head repositioning error, ICC intraclass correlation coefficients, JPE joint position error, LF lateral flexion, LOA limits of agreement, LR left rotation, NA not applicable, NPRS numeric pain rating scale, NR not reported, R rotation, RR right rotation, SD standard deviation, SEM standard error of measurement, VAS visual analog scale, WAD whiplash-associated disorder
  2. *Is test position in sitting, standing, with back support? Is the test subject fixed to the back support? Test to end range or pain limit? Movement speed self-selected, fast as possible or fixed? Is the test subject blindfolded?
  3. **Participants were asked about maximum pain level
  4. aSignificant difference neck pain group I vs HC (p > 0,05)
  5. bSignificant difference neck pain group II vs HC (p > 0,05)
  6. cSignificant difference neck pain group I vs II (p > 0,05). ≈ Read from a graph