Cervical Collar

STUDY BASICS

Are you a healthy adult 18 to 30 years old? You may be eligible for a research study to determine the effect of cervical collars on neck motion. Participation involves one visit that lasts about 2 hours. Compensation in provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to identify how motion of the neck changes with different types of cervical (neck) collars. Cervical collars are used for a variety of reasons including injuries to the spine, for protection after surgery, and in some cases other causes of neck pain. They are well known to decrease the ability to move the neck in general, but how effective they are at limiting motion is not fully understood.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Are 18-30 years old
• Are able to move your head and neck without pain or discomfort
• BMI (Body Mass Index) is under 40
• Height between 5' 2" and 6' 2"
• Not pregnant

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

The neck motion will be evaluated using x-ray images. You will have one visit to our lab; during this visit, we will record motion capture video of you while you move your neck without a collar and in four different types of collars. You will also answer questionnaires during this visit. Lastly, you will have a CT scan of the cervical spine done at UPMC Mercy, which takes about 30 minutes to complete and is located 10 minutes from the lab. The motion visit at the lab will take about to 1.5 hours to complete.