Association between cervical sagittal alignment, neck awareness, and disability in chronic neck pain: The possible role of probable sleep bruxism


Ekici Zincirci D., İlbeği S., Atar S., Demirhan E., KURU Ö., Özer B., ...Daha Fazla

Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1177/10538127261488131
  • Dergi Adı: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, SportDiscus, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Bruxism, cervical lordosis, disability, neck awareness, neck pain
  • Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a major cause of disability. Cervical sagittal alignment, neck awareness, and probable sleep bruxism may influence symptom burden. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 76 patients (18–60 years) with CNP. Probable sleep bruxism was classified using self/partner report and clinical findings. Pain was rated on a visual analog scale (VAS), neck awareness by the Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire–Turkish (FreNAQ-T), and disability by the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Lateral radiographs provided C0–2 and C2–7 Cobb angles, cervical sagittal vertical axis (cSVA), T1 slope (T1S), T1S–cervical lordosis (T1S–CL) mismatch and cervical tilt. Results: Thirty-six patients had probable sleep bruxism. Patients with probable sleep bruxism were younger, more often desk-based workers, and had higher educational levels (p = 0.002, p = 0.002, and p = 0.008, respectively). They also had higher NDI scores (p = 0.043) and greater cSVA (p = 0.045). In the overall cohort, FreNAQ-T correlated with NDI (r = 0.585, p < 0.001), and night pain correlated with FreNAQ-T (r = 0.266, p = 0.020) and NDI (r = 0.253, p = 0.028). In patients without probable sleep bruxism, C2–7 Cobb angle correlated with T1S (r = 0.322, p = 0.035) and T1S–CL mismatch (r = −0.718, p < 0.001). In those with probable sleep bruxism, night pain correlated with C2–7 Cobb angle (r = −0.347, p = 0.038) and cSVA (r = 0.336, p = 0.045). Conclusion: Probable sleep bruxism was associated with higher disability and greater anterior cervical sagittal translation in CNP. Subgroup-specific correlation patterns suggest associations among sagittal alignment, neck awareness, and symptom burden; however, causality cannot be inferred.