Three-dimensional analysis of active head and cervical spine range of motion: effect of age in healthy male subjects

Objective. To assess the effect of age on active head–cervical range of motion in healthy men. Design. Three-dimensional cervical motion ranges and patterns were measured in 70 men. Background. The effect of age on cervical range of motion is still discussed. Methods. Twenty adolescent (mean age 16 year), 30 young adult (mean age 23 year), and 20 mid-aged (mean age 37 year) men performed maximal head and cervical spine flexion–extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. Movements were detected using a digital optoelectronic instrument. Maximum head–cervical spine and thoracic motions were separated. Results. Flexion and extension were larger in the adolescents and young adults (130–132°) than in the mid-aged men (117°). Thoracic movement increased as a function of age. Lateral bending was symmetric, associated with head–cervical rotation and extension, and larger in adolescents (85°) than in young (77°) and mid-aged adults (79°). Axial rotation was symmetric, associated with flexion–extension and lateral bending, and similar in the three age groups (respectively, 160°, 155°, 153°). Conclusions. Active head–cervical range of motion reduced between 15 and 45 years of age in men.