Postural Balance, Visual Verticality Perception, and Its Association in Individuals with and without Neck Pain
Vimonwan Hiengkaew PhD*, Wanvisa Panichaporn PhD*,**, Sumethee Thanungkul MSc***
Affiliation : * Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand ** Currently at Faculty of Health Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand *** Center of Biomedical Instrument Research and Development, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
Objective : To compare postural balance and visual verticality perception between neck pain and asymptomatic subjects; to
determine its association within groups.
Material and Method: Fourteen neck pain and 14 asymptomatic subjects participated in the study. Subjects stood on a force
platform to measure the displacement of the center of pressure in the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions, total
path length, and sway velocity. Subjects performed 10 patterns of the rod and frame test in the sitting position to measure
absolute errors of visual verticality perception. Postural balance variables between neck pain and asymptomatic participants
were determined by Independent t-test. Two-way analysis of variance determined the effect of absolute errors of visual
verticality perception, groups and its interaction. The association between postural balance variables and absolute errors of
visual verticality perception was determined by Pearson’s correlation.
Results : Neck pain patients showed greater total path length and sway velocity than asymptomatic subjects. Similar absolute
errors of visual verticality perception between groups were shown. No correlation between postural balance variables and
absolute errors of visual verticality perception within groups was demonstrated.
Conclusion : Postural balance, not visual verticality perception was disturbed in individuals with neck pain. Postural balance
was not associated with visual verticality perception in individuals with and without neck pain.
Keywords : Neck, Pain, Postural balance, Vertical perception, Vision
