1. Assists in Treating Neck Muscles
A cervical extension machine treats neck pain caused by muscle injury or weakened muscles that constantly support the weight of the head. Weak neck muscles can result in headaches and poor posture, as well as pain in the neck area. A cervical extension machine focuses on the neck muscles by restraining the torso in a seat so that the muscles of the neck can work independently to measure range of motion and strength.
2. Rest Your Head to Measure Extension and Flexion
When a patient uses a cervical extension machine, the head rests against a counterweighted pad that the patient pushes with their head in order to measure force exerted by the neck muscles only. The head should cover as much of the pad as possible. The patient must engage only the muscles of the neck to move the pad along the neck's normal range of motion of 126 degrees from full extension, all the way back, to full flexion, all the way forward.
3. Measure Changes to See Improvement
You can measure torque of the neck muscles every three degrees when attempting to move the head pad along the neck's range of motion on a cervical extension machine. A computer program converts the measured torque the patient uses to move the head pad along a normal range of motion to determine the level of limitation in the neck muscles. Readings at the beginning of treatment and again at the end of the treatment program show the level of improvement in the strength of the neck muscles used in the cervical extension machine after restraint of the upper body to isolate the neck muscles.
4. Focus on the Neck Muscles
Patients who use a cervical extension machine can isolate the neck muscles to gain accurate measurements of disability by sitting in the seat and resting the head against the movable head pad that the patient uses to accurately measure range of motion. Once the patient sits in the machine, a restraint bar fits across the front of the body and holds the patient's shoulders in place against the pad behind the back. This causes the neck muscles to do the work to provide accurate measurements of range of motion of these specific muscles.
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