SynthesisPM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation2026
Muscle fat infiltration and its relation with pain intensity, disability, and cervical curvature in individuals with nonspecific neck pain: A systematic review study.
Synthesis in PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Level-dependent changes in cervical multifidus composition following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: bridging quantitative MRI and clinical perspectives.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo review and analyze the association between muscle fat infiltration (MFI) and pain intensity, disability, and cervical alignment in individuals with nonspecific neck pain. TYPE: Systematic review study. LITERATURE SURVEY: Nonspecific neck pain is associated with muscular changes, including fatty infiltration, which may contribute to chronic symptoms and functional limitations. Prior studies have examined morphological muscle changes across various neck pain populations; however, specific evidence regarding the relationship between MFI and clinical outcomes in nonspecific neck pain remains limited and inconsistent. METHODOLOGY: A systematic search of the Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, and CINAHL databases was performed. This analysis included analytical cross-sectional studies published from 2003 to May 2025 that used structural medical imaging to examine fatty infiltration of neck muscles in participants aged 18-65 years with nonspecific neck pain lasting >3 months. Only articles written in English that were accessible to the authors were considered. Studies were excluded if they did not meet any of the aforementioned criteria. SYNTHESIS: Across included studies (n=4), higher MFI in cervical extensor muscles was consistently associated with greater pain intensity and disability. Evidence for a relationship between MFI and cervical alignment was inconsistent, with some studies reporting a negative association between MFI and cervical lordosis, while others found no correlation. Variability in imaging methods and clinical measures contributed to heterogeneity between studies.
conclusionThe study results suggest a correlation between fatty infiltration and nonspecific neck pain features, such as pain level and neck disability, whereas cervical lordosis does not appear to be correlated. These findings highlight the importance of rehabilitation programs to reduce MFI and enhance muscle functions, which may alleviate symptoms.
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