Muscle Recruitment During Neck Flexion and Inspiratory Muscle Training

Patients will be asked to minimally lift their head from the pillow generating a quasi-isometric neck contraction (2 sets of 6-10 flexions).

"Patients will be asked to complete 2 sets of 6-10 breaths through a POWERbreathe device, which applies a variable resistance provided by an electronically controlled valve (variable flow resistive load).~During each IMT and neck flexion maneuver ultrasound measurements will be performed (measurements of the diaphragm, sternocleidomastoid, parasternal intercostal, internal oblique \[IO\], external oblique \[EO\], transversus abdominis \[TrA\] and rectus abdominis \[RA\] will be taken) and, during the entire period, sEMG monitoring of the target muscles (diaphragm, sternocleidomastoid, parasternal intercostal and EO) will be continued."