Neck Muscle Endurance, Trunk Control, Upper Extremity Function and Manual Dexterity in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 3, 485 - 493, 30.09.2025

Taşkın Özkan , Nezehat Özgül Ünlüer , Yasemin Ateş Sarı , Aybike Erkoç , Gönül Vural

https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1659237

Abstract

Neck Muscle Endurance, Trunk Control, Upper Extremity Function and Manual Dexterity in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Purpose: One of the most impacted regions is upper limb function, which lowers quality of life and involvement in daily living activities in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). This study aimed to examine the relationship between function of upper extremity and manual dexterity with trunk control and neck muscle endurance in PwMS.
Materials and Methods: Thirty-one PwMS and 30 healthy controls with matched ages and genders participated in the study.Trunk control was evaluated with Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS); neck muscle endurance with Extensor Endurance Test (EET) and Flexor Endurance Test (FET); upper extremity function and manual dexterity with 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) bilaterally, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire, and Coin Rotation Test (CRT) bilaterally.
Results: TIS, and EET scores was lower and dominant-nondominant 9-HPT, DASH Questionnaire, and dominant-non-dominant CRT scores was higher in PwMS compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). Between the groups, there was no significance difference for FET (p>0.05). In PwMS, FET was only related with DASH and EET was related DASH Questionarre, nondominant NHPT and CRT(r between -0.404 and -0.481; p<0.05). Except for some sub-parameters, TIS was related with 9-HPT, DASH Questionnaire, and CRT (r between -0.401 and -0.767; p<0.05 for all).
Conclusion: These results of study suggest that rehabilitation approaches to improve neck muscle endurance, especially extensor muscle endurance, as well as trunk control can be included in the treatment protocols to improve upper extremity function and dexterity in PwMS.

Keywords

Trunk control , neck muscle endurance , dexterity , upper extremity

Ethical Statement

The ethics committee of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University gave its approval (2023/06-271).

Supporting Institution

None.

Thanks

The authors thank all participants who participated in this study.

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