{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T23:46:23Z","timestamp":1785282383161,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768521600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background. Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative disorder of the spine, frequently associated with chronic neck pain, reduced mobility, and functional impairment. Patients develop alterations in muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity, which further contribute to disability. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 14-day standardized rehabilitation program on the biomechanical and contractile properties of cervical and scapular muscles in patients with cervical spondylosis. Methods. This study used a single-group pre\u2013post observational design on 23 patients (16 women, 7 men; mean age 61.1 \u00b1 14.2 years) diagnosed with cervical spondylosis. All participants completed a standardized rehabilitation treatment that included cervical mobilization, stretching, isometric exercises, scapular stabilization, electrotherapy, ultrasound, thermotherapy, and balneotherapy. Muscle properties were evaluated bilaterally using the MyotonPRO\u00ae device, measuring frequency, stiffness, decrement, relaxation time, and creep. Assessments were performed in a sitting position for the deltoid, upper trapezius and pectoralis major, both at baseline (T0) and after treatment (T1). Handgrip strength was assessed bilaterally with a handheld dynamometer. Results. The deltoid muscle showed a significant reduction in frequency (14.86 \u2192 13.50 Hz, p = 0.034) and stiffness (306.4 \u2192 256.1 N\/m, p = 0.014) on the right side, suggesting normalization of tone and passive resistance. The upper trapezius had a significant bilateral decrease in decrement (p &lt; 0.05), reflecting improved elasticity. The pectoralis major displayed the most consistent adaptations, with increased frequency (right side, p = 0.008), improved relaxation bilaterally (p &lt; 0.05), and significant reductions in decrement and creep (p &lt; 0.01). Handheld dynamometry confirmed increased handgrip strength, with a 5.4% improvement on the left side and 7.6% on the right side. Conclusions. In our study measurable changes in muscle parameters were observed following a rehabilitation program in patients with cervical spondylosis. The integration of myotonometry and dynamometry allowed objective assessment of muscle adaptations supporting the clinical value of individualized rehabilitation strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life16010147","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T08:08:21Z","timestamp":1768550901000},"page":"147","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Muscle-Specific Biomechanical Adaptations Following Rehabilitation Treatment in Cervical Spondylosis: A Pilot Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-2812-1003","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreea Ancu\u021ba","family":"Talinga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Research Center for Assessment of Human Motion, Functionality and Disability, Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Center for Translational Research and Systems Medicine, Department of Functional Sciences\u2013Pathophysiology, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2896-7523","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roxana Ramona","family":"Onofrei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center for Assessment of Human Motion, Functionality and Disability, Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8774-0965","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ada-Maria","family":"Codreanu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Center for Translational Research and Systems Medicine, Department of Functional Sciences\u2013Pathophysiology, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cVasile Goldi\u0219\u201d Western University of Arad, 310048 Arad, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7737-3820","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Veronica Aurelia","family":"Romanescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-0997-9708","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marius-Zoltan","family":"Rezume\u0219","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dan-Andrei","family":"Korodi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cVasile Goldi\u0219\u201d Western University of Arad, 310048 Arad, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6378-4418","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oana","family":"Suciu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center for Assessment of Human Motion, Functionality and Disability, Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Claudia","family":"Borza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Translational Research and Systems Medicine, Department of Functional Sciences\u2013Pathophysiology, \u201cVictor Babe\u015f\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. 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Open"}],"container-title":["Life"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-1729\/16\/1\/147\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T12:05:25Z","timestamp":1768565125000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-1729\/16\/1\/147"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]]},"references-count":28,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]}},"alternative-id":["life16010147"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/life16010147","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-1729"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-1729","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]]}}}