The time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students

Abstract Changes in postural control associated with clinical practice or specific conditions such as the presence of neck pain remain unexplored in dental students. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the time-course changes in postural control complexity among dental students enrolled in clinic...

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Main Authors: Manuel Barbosa Almeida, Marion Moreira, José Moreira, João R. Vaz, Paula Moleirinho-Alves, Raúl Oliveira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82119-x
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author Manuel Barbosa Almeida
Marion Moreira
José Moreira
João R. Vaz
Paula Moleirinho-Alves
Raúl Oliveira
author_facet Manuel Barbosa Almeida
Marion Moreira
José Moreira
João R. Vaz
Paula Moleirinho-Alves
Raúl Oliveira
author_sort Manuel Barbosa Almeida
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Changes in postural control associated with clinical practice or specific conditions such as the presence of neck pain remain unexplored in dental students. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the time-course changes in postural control complexity among dental students enrolled in clinical practice, comparing those with and without neck pain. We used an online Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire for group allocation and center of pressure (CoP) oscillations with a tri-axial Bertec force plate. Baseline data were acquired from dental students with neck pain (NP) (n = 21) and asymptomatic in a control group (n = 23), before starting their clinical practice, and assessments were repeated after their first semester. CoP fluctuations were determined through the calculation of sample entropy. Both groups had similar postural control at baseline, but asymptomatic students exhibited more irregular CoP AP (p = 0.013) and ML (p = 0.015) oscillations, while students with neck pain showed a more rigid pattern (p = 0.004) in the AP direction at the endpoint. Our results showed that dental students’ postural control complexity decreased during the first semester of clinical practice. Over time, asymptomatic students exhibited more random postural control patterns, while students with neck pain demonstrated more rigid postural control during upright stance, indicating that postural control complexity differs between students with and without neck pain when exposed to clinical training.
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spelling doaj-art-f79912cda9f54b0483ed8737f7a8c9e12024-12-29T12:23:16ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-12-011411910.1038/s41598-024-82119-xThe time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental studentsManuel Barbosa Almeida0Marion Moreira1José Moreira2João R. Vaz3Paula Moleirinho-Alves4Raúl Oliveira5Neuromuscular Research Lab, Interdisciplinary Centre for the study of Human Performance (CIPER), Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of LisbonDepartment of Physiotherapy, Egas Moniz School of Health & Science, Campus Universitario, Quinta da GranjaUniversity of ÉvoraEgas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM), Egas Moniz School of Health & ScienceEgas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM), Egas Moniz School of Health & ScienceNeuromuscular Research Lab, Interdisciplinary Centre for the study of Human Performance (CIPER), Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of LisbonAbstract Changes in postural control associated with clinical practice or specific conditions such as the presence of neck pain remain unexplored in dental students. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the time-course changes in postural control complexity among dental students enrolled in clinical practice, comparing those with and without neck pain. We used an online Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire for group allocation and center of pressure (CoP) oscillations with a tri-axial Bertec force plate. Baseline data were acquired from dental students with neck pain (NP) (n = 21) and asymptomatic in a control group (n = 23), before starting their clinical practice, and assessments were repeated after their first semester. CoP fluctuations were determined through the calculation of sample entropy. Both groups had similar postural control at baseline, but asymptomatic students exhibited more irregular CoP AP (p = 0.013) and ML (p = 0.015) oscillations, while students with neck pain showed a more rigid pattern (p = 0.004) in the AP direction at the endpoint. Our results showed that dental students’ postural control complexity decreased during the first semester of clinical practice. Over time, asymptomatic students exhibited more random postural control patterns, while students with neck pain demonstrated more rigid postural control during upright stance, indicating that postural control complexity differs between students with and without neck pain when exposed to clinical training.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82119-xCervical painDentistry studentsPostural controlComplexityEntropy
spellingShingle Manuel Barbosa Almeida
Marion Moreira
José Moreira
João R. Vaz
Paula Moleirinho-Alves
Raúl Oliveira
The time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students
Scientific Reports
Cervical pain
Dentistry students
Postural control
Complexity
Entropy
title The time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students
title_full The time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students
title_fullStr The time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students
title_full_unstemmed The time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students
title_short The time-course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students
title_sort time course changes in postural control variability between neck pain and asymptomatic dental students
topic Cervical pain
Dentistry students
Postural control
Complexity
Entropy
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82119-x
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