Association of Respiratory Function and Cervical Muscle Strength in Healthy Individuals - A Pilot Study
Bihter Akınoğlu1
, Selda Karakoç1, Salman Usman Shehu1, Ayfer Ezgi Yılmaz2, Tuğba Kocahan3
1Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Faculty, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Türkiye
2Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
3Department of Sports Medicine, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye
Keywords: Muscle strength, neck muscles, posture, respiratory function tests
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between respiratory function and cervical muscle strength in healthy individuals.
Material and Methods: A total of 83 individuals (64 females and 19 males, aged 20-25) participated in the study. Respiratory function was assessed with a spirometer using Forced Expiratory Maneuver Test (FFT), with Functional Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC%, Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), and Forced Expiratory Flow at 25%-75% of the Vital Capacity (FEF25-75) measured and recorded. Neck flexor, right and left lateral flexor, and extensor muscle strengths were evaluated using a hand-held dynamometer.
Results: Moderate-level correlations were observed between FVC and neck muscle strength (rs = 0.630; rs = 0.510; rs = 0.504; rs = 0.480), as well as between FEV1 and the strength of neck muscles (rs = 0.500; rs = 0.340; rs = 0.405; rs = 0.405). Additionally, low-level correlations were noted between PEF and the strength of neck flexor and left lateral flexor muscles (rs = 0.251; rs = 0.257), and between FEF25-75% and the strength of neck flexor, right lateral flexor, and left lateral flexor muscles (rs = 0.277; rs = 0.241; rs = 0.264).
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that cervical muscle strength, particularly that of the neck flexors and extensors, is moderately associated with respiratory function in healthy young adults. This relationship indicates that optimal neck muscle performance may contribute to efficient respiratory mechanics. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms and to determine whether cervical muscle strengthening can enhance respiratory performance.
Cite as: Akınoğlu B, Karakoç S, Shehu SU, Yılmaz AE, Kocahan T. Association of respiratory function and cervical muscle strength in healthy individuals - a pilot study. Turk J Sports Med. 2026; https://doi.org/10.47447/tjsm.0967
The approval for this study was obtained from Institute of Health Sciences Clinical Research Ethics Committee, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Türkiye (Decision no: 09-434, Date: 23/11/2023).
Conception – BA; Design – BA, SK, TK; Supervision – BA, TK; Materials – BA, SUS, TK; Data Collection – BA, SK, SUS; Analysis – BA, AEY; Literature Review – BA, SK, SUS, TK; Writing – BA, SK, SUS; Review – BA, SUS, AEY, TK. All authors contributed to the final version of the manuscript and discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or publication of this article.
