382 Autumn 2023. Vol 24. Num 3 * Corresponding Author: Ghadamali Talebi, PhD. Address: Mobility Impairment Research Center, Health Research Instute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Tel: +98 (914) 3133431 E-Mail: talebiali2@yahoo.co.in Research Paper Frequency of Adverse Neural Tension and Its Associaon With Funconal Disability in Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes: A Cross- seconal Study 1. Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitaon, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 2. Mobility Impairment Research Center, Health Research Instute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 3. Department of Orthopedic, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 4. Health Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Milad Taheri 1 , *Ghadamali Talebi 2 , Mohammad Taghipour 2 , Massoud Bahrami 3 , Hemmat Gholinia 4 Objecve Musculoskeletal pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the main causes of funconal disability. Although the symptoms and complaints of paents with MPS are oſten related to their musculoskeletal structures, repeated microtraumas and overuse (the main causes of musculoskeletal pain) may also lead to abnormal neurodynamics. Abnormal neurodynamics refers to mechanical dysfuncon in the movement of nerve structures related to the surrounding ssues or disrupon in the normal elongaon of the nerve. Some recent studies have suggested the possibility of abnormal neurodynamics in paents with MPS. Therefore, this study aims to determine the frequency of abnormal neural tension and its associaon with funconal disability in paents with MPS of the upper extremity. Materials & Methods A hundred parcipants with MPS (78 women and 22 men) parcipated in this study. Median, radial and ulnar nerve neurodynamic tests were performed according to Butler & Shacklock’s approach. There was a five-minute rest between each test to avoid the therapeuc effects of neurodynamic maneuvering. To quantavely measure the intensity of the abnormal tension in the peripheral nerves in case of a posive neurodynamic test, the angle of the elbow joint in extension (for the median and radial nerves) and the angle of the shoulder joint in abducon (for the ulnar nerve) were measured using a standard goniometer. The associaon between abnormal neural tension and funconal disability was invesgated using Pearson's correlaon test. The stascal significance level was set a t 0.05. Results Regardless of the type of disorder, 112 paents had abnormal neural tension (some parcipants had more than one disorder) and underwent the neurodynamic test. Based on the results, 50 paents (50%) had at least one median, radial, or ulnar nerve tension dysfuncon. There was no significant associaon between the degree of funconal disability and the severity of abnormal neural tension according to the joint angle. Conclusion In many paents with MPS of the upper extremity with no obvious symptoms of neurological dysfuncon, the nerve neurodynamic test is posive. Therefore, it is recommended that in all paents diagnosed with MPS, nerve neurodynamic test and, if necessary, neurodynamic therapy should be included in the roune physiotherapy. Keywords Neurodynamic test, Peripheral nerves, Median nerve, Radial nerve, Ulnar nerve, Upper extremity, Musculoskeletal pain syndrome A B S T R A C T Received: 10 Feb 2023 Accepted: 20 May 2023 Available Online: 01 Oct 2023 Citation Taheri M, Talebi Gh, Taghipour M, Bahrami M, Gholinia H. Frequency of Adverse Neural Tension and Its Association With Functional Disability in Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes: A Cross-sectional Study. Archives of Rehabilitation. 2023; 24(3):382-397. https://doi.org/10.32598/RJ.24.3.3596.2 https://doi.org/10.32598/RJ.24.3.3596.2 Use your device to scan and read the arcle online