A Movement System Impairment Approach to the Evaluation and Treatment of a Patient Who had Cervical Flexion Syndrome with a Straight Neck: A Case Report

Background A straight neck is characterized by the loss of the cervical lordotic curve, which causes muscle weakness and abnormal movement, thereby increasing stress on the cervical spine. Cervical flexion syndrome, one of the classifications for the Movement System Impairment (MSI) approach, is characterized by the loss of the cervical lordotic curve, cervical muscle weakness, and flat thoracic spine. This study aimed to describe the efficacy of the MSI approach for the treatment of a patient who had cervical flexion syndrome with a straight neck. Study design Case report Observations The patient was a 37-year-old man suffering from neck pain and hand tingling. He had experienced the symptoms for 3 months, and they worsened when working with the neck bent for a long time. He was diagnosed with a straight neck and cervical flexion syndrome based on the MSI approach. To treat his movement impairment, abnormal alignment, and neck pain, he was instructed to perform some specific exercises. The patient reported that his neck pain improved from 6 to 0 on the visual analogue scale during cervical flexion after treatment. Neck disability index score improved significantly from 34 before to 0 after treatment. The cervical lordotic curve was measured using the posterior tangent method, which improved from 7º to –15º after 6 weeks of treatment. The alignment of the thoracic spine was measured using a smartphone, and the thoracic kyphosis increased from 22º to 28º after 6 weeks of treatment. Conclusions This study suggests that the therapeutic application of the MSI approach is effective for patients who had cervical flexion syndrome with a straight neck.