Actively Recruiting
Cervical Movement Control Before and After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
Led by University of Ljubljana · Updated on 2026-02-23
30
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
5 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of Ljubljana
Lead Sponsor
U
University Medical Centre Ljubljana
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Degenerative cervical disc disease can cause neck pain, nerve symptoms, dizziness, and problems with balance and head movement control. The neck contains many sensory receptors that provide information about head position and movement to the brain. When cervical discs degenerate or compress nearby structures, this sensory communication may be disrupted. As a result, patients may experience reduced accuracy and coordination of head movements. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a standard surgical procedure used to relieve nerve or spinal cord compression caused by cervical disc disease. The procedure is effective in reducing pain and neurological symptoms. However, it is not well understood whether ACDF also improves the way the neck and nervous system work together to control head movement. The purpose of this study is to evaluate early changes in cervical movement control after ACDF. Patients scheduled for ACDF will be assessed before surgery and again one week after surgery. A group of healthy participants without neck pain will be assessed at the same time interval for comparison. Cervical movement control will be measured using a computer-based head-tracking task. During this task, participants follow a moving target on a screen using controlled head movements. The system records measures of tracking accuracy and timing. The primary research question is whether ACDF results in measurable short-term improvements in objective cervical movement control compared with healthy individuals over the same time period. It is hypothesized that patients undergoing ACDF will demonstrate improvement in specific movement-control measures after surgery. However, broader patterns of movement-control impairment may not fully normalize in the early postoperative period. The results of this study may improve understanding of how cervical spine surgery affects sensorimotor function and may help inform postoperative rehabilitation strategies.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Cervical Movement Control Before and After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 18 to 65 years
- Clinical diagnosis of cervical disc pathology at one segment level (e.g., cervical disc herniation or degenerative disc disease) for surgical group
- Scheduled to undergo anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) as part of standard clinical care for surgical group
- Ability to understand study procedures and provide written informed consent
- Age 18 to 65 years for non-surgical neck pain group
- Clinical diagnosis of neck pain associated with cervical disc pathology for non-surgical neck pain group
- Not undergoing surgical treatment during the study period for non-surgical neck pain group
- Ability to understand study procedures and provide written informed consent
You will not qualify if you...
- Prior cervical spine surgery
- Diagnosed neurological disorders unrelated to cervical disc pathology such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, or stroke
- Known vestibular disorders affecting balance
- Severe uncorrected visual impairment
- Acute musculoskeletal injury of the neck or upper limb unrelated to the primary cervical condition
- Inability to perform the head-tracking task
- Cognitive impairment preventing informed consent
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana
Ljubljana, Slovenia, 3000
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
Z
Ziva dr. Majcen Rosker, PhD
CONTACT
M
Miha dr. Vodicar, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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