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Publication Date

4-25-2017

Keywords

neck pain, directional preference, Bournemouth questionnaire

Abstract

Purpose

Patient-related predictive factors in responsiveness to directional preference therapy for neck pain with or without upper extremity radiation (NP/R) have not been reported. A directional preference is any neck movement that, when performed repeatedly to end range, results in centralization and/or alleviation of NP/R. It was hypothesized that patient compliance with a prescribed, directional preference-matched home exercise program would improve positive responsiveness to NP/R treatment.

Methods

Patient-related factors thought to affect responsiveness to care were collected retrospectively from charts and de-identified for patients with NP/R who underwent chiropractic treatment at a multispecialty spine clinic from January 2014 through June 2015. Responsiveness was measured by calculating the percentage change in Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire (NBQ) scores over treatment time. Multiple linear regression was used to identify factors associated with positive responsiveness.

Results

Mean percentage change in patient NBQ score from initial intake to discharge was 50% (standard deviation: 32%). Of 104 patients meeting study inclusion criteria, 86 (83%) reported experiencing improvement after the first treatment session. Bivariate analysis of patient characteristics by compliance with directional preference-matched exercise indicated that compliant patients (n = 95, 91%) demonstrated significantly greater responsiveness to care than did noncompliant patients, at 55% versus 25% change in NBQ score, respectively (P = 0.0041). Four factors were statistically significant predictors of patient responsiveness to directional preference therapy for NP/R: patient compliance with directional preference-matched exercise (P = 0.0023), patient age (P = 0.0029), condition chronicity (P < 0.0001), and whether the patient reported improvement of symptoms following initial treatment session (P = 0.0003).

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that patient compliance with directional preference exercise is associated with patient responsiveness to conservative treatment of NP/R, as are age, chronicity and report of immediate symptom improvement.

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Submitted

June 7th, 2016

Accepted

November 7th, 2016

 

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