# Intersegmental Dynamic Mechanisms of Neck Pain In Vivo

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2020 · $149,892

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Neck pain (NP) is the 3rd most common chronic pain condition in the U.S. and the 4th leading cause of
disability worldwide. Despite the prevalence and significant disability and financial burden, there is still an
unclear understanding of the biological mechanisms, although growing evidence suggests a biomechanical
element. There is a critical need to enhance our understanding of NP mechanisms and improve treatment
outcomes.
Our broad long-term research initiative is to develop an objective biomarker for spinal health based on
aberrant movement patterns, a measure of instability, to enhance our understanding of NP mechanisms and
improve treatment outcomes. The central hypotheses are a) intersegmental spinal instability, or aberrant
motion, is a primary mechanism of mechanical neck pain and b) neuroforaminal impingement is a primary
mechanism of neck pain with radiculopathy and is exacerbated by movement.
In AIM 1, 3D cervical spine intersegmental motion via biplanar fluoroscopy during physiological loading
activities will be collected on patients with NP and asymptomatic age/sex matched controls to determine the
extent their motion differs. In AIM 2, multi-dimensional interactions between biomechanical data and clinical
measures will be explored through an interactive visualization-based approach.
Capitalizing on state-of-the-art technology and unique visualization techniques, this interdisciplinary research
will provide novel critical insights into the mechanisms of NP. The synthesis of intersegmental spinal motion
during physiological loading conditions provides the ability to quantify cervical motion for the first time and
develop an objective movement dysfunction based tool.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9949482
- **Project number:** 5R03HD097715-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Arin M Ellingson
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $149,892
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-10 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9949482

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9949482, Intersegmental Dynamic Mechanisms of Neck Pain In Vivo (5R03HD097715-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9949482. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*