Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of clinical presentations of neck pain on
short-term physical therapy outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of
pair-matched groups from a clinical cohort. SETTING: Thirteen outpatient physical
therapy clinics in 1 health care system. PARTICIPANTS:
Patients (N=1069) grouped
by common clinical presentations of neck pain: nonspecific neck pain (NSNP) with
duration <4 weeks; NSNP with duration >4 weeks; neck pain with arm pain; neck
pain with headache; and neck pain from whiplash. INTERVENTION: Conservative
interventions provided by physical therapists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neck
Disability Index (NDI) and numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) recorded at the
initial and last visits. The main outcome of interest was achieving recovery
status on the NDI. Changes in NDI and NPRS were compared between clinical
presentation groups. RESULTS: Compared with patients presenting with NSNP >4
weeks, patients with NSNP <4 weeks had increased odds of achieving recovery
status on the NDI (P<.0001) and demonstrated the greatest changes in clinical
outcomes of pain (P</=.0001) and disability (P</=.0001). Patients with neck pain
and arm pain demonstrated an increased odds of achieving recovery status on the
NDI (P=.04) compared with patients presenting with NSNP >4 weeks. CONCLUSIONS:
Treating patients with NSNP within <4 weeks of onset of symptoms may lead to
improved clinical outcomes from physical therapy compared with other common
clinical presentations.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS