Physical and psychological factors predict outcome following whiplash injury

Recognition of a patient with neck autonomic dysfunction: findings from a rare case report of harlequin syndrome in direct access physiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Harlequin syndrome is a rare autonomic condition consisting of unilateral facial flushing and sweating induced by heat, emotion or physical activity. The affected side presents anhidrosis and midline facial pallor due to denervation of the sympathetic fibers.

CASE DESCRIPTION

This case describes a patient who reported right-side redness of the face associated with hyperhidrosis during physical activity. She had two previous major motor vehicle accidents. The patient demonstrated difficulties in the visual accommodation of the left eye, but cranial nerve assessment was unremarkable; the patient was then referred to an ophthalmologist, who excluded any autonomic dysfunction as the primary cause of convergence and visual acuity.

OUTCOMES

A left-sided sympathetic dysfunction with Harlequin sign diagnosis was made followed by a progressive compensatory adaptation of the right face. The patient was educated and reassured about the benign nature of her problem.

DISCUSSION

Knowledge of the autonomic nervous system is still limited in clinical practice. Although challenging, physiotherapists should develop the knowledge and ability needed to perform appropriate assessment of autonomic dysfunctions.

CONCLUSION

A dispositional reasoning model should be considered in differential diagnosis.

Differences in physical examination findings between those who present with or without headache soon after a whiplash injury: a cross-sectional study

AIM

To determine differences in physical examination findings between people with acute whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) with and without headache.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, participants with acute WAD were evaluated to assess differences in the presence of physical impairments. The following were assessed: pain intensity on manual palpation the over spinous process of C1-C3, zygapophyseal joints of C0-C4, and trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, suboccipitalis, masseter and temporalis muscles; cervical range of motion (ROM); flexion-rotation test (FRT); forward head posture; cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT); neck flexor and extensor endurance; pressure-pain thresholds (PPT) over neural structures and upper limb neural tests (ULNT) in addition to median UNLT + CCF. Correlation analyses were performed to assess the association between examination findings and headache intensity. Logistic regression and discriminant analyses were also performed.

RESULTS

Forty-seven participants (26 men and 21 women; mean age = 38.9 years old) were included in the study. 60% of the participants presented with headache. Several examination findings were significantly different between groups. A group of examination findings composed of neck endurance, manual palpation over cervical and muscular structures, PPT, CCFT, ROM and FRT could discriminate between groups with a sensitivity of 86.7% and specificity of 90%.

CONCLUSIONS

Several neuromusculoskeletal features are different between people with acute WAD with or without headache. A combination of features could distinguish between groups with high levels of sensitivity and specificity.

Effects of therapeutic exercise on pain processing in people with chronic non-specific neck pain - A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence suggests that individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain may experience altered sensory processing, potentially contributing to the modest response to therapeutic exercise treatments.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to explore the effect of therapeutic exercise on pain processing among patients with chronic non-specific neck pain.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, SportDiscus, and Cochrane CENTRAL) from inception to June 2023. Inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing therapeutic exercise to non-exercise treatments or no treatment. The screening and data extraction was conducted by two reviewers. The methodological quality was evaluated using the PEDro scale and the certainty of evidence using GRADE. The primary outcomes assessed were pressure pain threshold (PPT), temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation.

RESULTS

Thirteen trials included a total of 948 participants, with 586 in the exercise therapy group and 362 in the non-exercise group. The therapeutic exercise was not superior to non-exercise treatments for both local and PPT in the immediate (MD = 0.13, 95%CI = -0.18 to 0.43), and short-term follow-up (MD = 0.17, 95%CI = -0.27 to 0.61). In the medium term, therapeutic exercise demonstrated a small effect size in increasing local PPT (Kg/cm2) (MD = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.08 to 1.19) compared to non-exercise interventions. The certainty of evidence for these outcomes was very low.

CONCLUSIONS

There is very low certainty of evidence that therapeutic exercise is not superior than non-exercise treatment on pain processing in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain.

Trajectories of cold but not mechanical sensitivity correspond with disability trajectories after whiplash injury

ABSTRACT

Developmental trajectories for neck disability after whiplash injury have been identified. Their relationship to cold and mechanical sensitivity trajectories is not known. We aimed to (1) identify recovery trajectories of cold and mechanical sensitivity, (2) explore their codevelopment with disability trajectories, (3) identify predictors of sensitivity trajectories, and (4) explore codevelopment of cold and mechanical sensitivity trajectories. Participants (n = 233) were assessed at <1, 3, 6, and 12 months after whiplash injury. Outcomes were cold pain detection threshold (CPT at neck), pressure pain detection thresholds (PPT, neck C5, and tibialis anterior), and the Neck Disability Index. We used group-based trajectory models to identify postinjury recovery trajectories and multinominal logistic regression to explore associations between baseline characteristics and trajectory membership. We identified the following trajectory groups: CPT (low [50.0%], moderate [29.7%], and high [20.4%] sensitivity); PPT C5 (low [10.8%] and high [89.2%] sensitivity); and PPT tibialis anterior (low [23.9%], moderate [39.0%], and high [37.1%] sensitivity); all were stable over the 12 months. There was good correspondence between disability and cold sensitivity trajectory groups but not for mechanical sensitivity; cold and mechanical sensitivity trajectories were not well associated. Higher baseline pain predicted membership of the high cold sensitivity trajectory (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.01-1.59) and hyperarousal symptoms predicted membership of the moderate cold sensitivity trajectory (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.36). We found no associations between baseline characteristics and mechanical sensitivity. There is an interplay between cold allodynia, pain, and hyperarousal symptoms in development of ongoing disability after whiplash injury. Different mechanisms likely underlie cold and mechanical sensitivity.

Usefulness of the DN4, S-LANSS, and painDETECT screening questionnaires to detect the neuropathic pain components in people with acute whiplash-associated disorders: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Although the presence of neuropathic pain (NP) components has been reported in whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), no studies have analyzed the usefulness of NP screening questionnaires to detect NP components in WAD. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of 3 NP screening tools (Douleur Neuropathique 4 [DN4], self-administered Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs [S-LANSS], and painDETECT questionnaire [PDQ]) to detect the presence of NP components in acute WAD.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Hospital.

SUBJECTS

Of 188 eligible individuals, 50 people (68% women, mean age = 40.3 ± 12.5 years) with acute WAD (52% Grade III) were included.

METHODS

Specialized physicians initially screened participants for the presence of NP components according to clinical practice and international recommendations. After physician assessment, blinded investigators used NP screening questionnaires (DN4, S-LANSS, and PDQ) to assess participants within 2 weeks of their accident. The diagnostic accuracy of these tools was analyzed and compared with the reference standard (physicians' assessments).

RESULTS

The 3 screening questionnaires showed excellent discriminant validity (area under the curve: ≥0.8), especially S-LANSS (area under the curve: 0.9; P < .001). DN4 demonstrated the highest sensitivity (87%), followed by S-LANSS (75%), while S-LANSS and PDQ showed the highest specificity (85% and 82%, respectively). These tools demonstrated a strong correlation with the reference standard (S-LANSS: rho = 0.7; PDQ: rho = 0.62; DN4: rho = 0.7; all, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The DN4, S-LANSS, and PDQ show excellent discriminant validity to detect the presence of NP components in acute WAD, especially S-LANSS. Initial screening with these tools might improve management of WAD.

Twelve-month recovery following road trauma: Results from an inception cohort in Vancouver, Canada

BACKGROUND

Injury-related disability following road trauma is a major public health concern. Unfortunately, outcome following road trauma and risk factors for poor recovery are inadequately studied, especially for road trauma survivors with minor injuries that do not require hospitalization.

OBJECTIVES

This manuscript reports 12-month recovery outcomes for a large cohort of road trauma survivors.

METHODS

This was a prospective, observational inception cohort study of 1,480 road trauma survivors recruited between July 2018 and March 2020 from 3 trauma centres in British Columbia, Canada. Participants were aged ≥16 years and arrived in a participating emergency department within 24 h of a motor vehicle collision. Data on baseline health and injury severity were collected from structured interviews and medical records. Outcome measures, including the SF-12, were collected during follow-up interviews at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months. Predictors of recovery outcomes were identified using Cox proportional hazards models and summarized using hazard ratios.

RESULTS

Only 42 % of participants self-reported full recovery and only 66 % reported a return to usual daily activities. Females, older individuals, pedestrians, and those who required hospital admission had a poorer recovery than other groups. Similar patterns were observed for the SF-12 physical component. For the SF-12 mental component, no significant differences were observed between participants admitted to hospital and those discharged home from the ED. Return to work was reported by 77 % of participants who had a paying job at baseline, with no significant differences between sex and age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large cohort of road trauma survivors, under half self-reported full recovery one year after the injury. Poor mental health recovery was observed in both participants admitted to hospital and those discharged home from the ED. This finding may indicate a need for early intervention and continued mental health monitoring for all injured individuals, including for those with less serious injuries.

Prognostic Factors of Perceived Disability and Perceived Recovery After Whiplash: A Longitudinal, Prospective Study With One-year Follow-up

OBJECTIVES

The understanding of the role that cognitive and emotional factors play in how an individual recovers from a whiplash injury is important. Hence, we sought to evaluate whether pain-related cognitions (self-efficacy beliefs, expectation of recovery, pain catastrophizing, optimism, and pessimism) and emotions (kinesiophobia) are longitudinally associated with the transition to chronic whiplash-associated disorders in terms of perceived disability and perceived recovery at 6 and 12 months.

METHODS

One hundred sixty-one participants with acute or subacute whiplash-associated disorder were included. The predictors were: self-efficacy beliefs, expectation of recovery, pain catastrophizing, optimism, pessimism, pain intensity, and kinesiophobia. The 2 outcomes were the dichotomized scores of perceived disability and recovery expectations at 6 and 12 months. Stepwise regression with bootstrap resampling was performed to identify the predictors most strongly associated with the outcomes and the stability of such selection.

RESULTS

Baseline perceived disability, pain catastrophizing, and expectation of recovery were the most likely to be statistically significant, with an overage frequency of 87.2%, 84.0%, and 84.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Individuals with higher expectations of recovery and lower levels of pain catastrophizing and perceived disability at baseline have higher perceived recovery and perceived disability at 6 and 12 months. These results have important clinical implications as both factors are modifiable through health education approaches.

C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is Associated With Chronic Pain Independently of Biopsychosocial Factors

Inflammation is linked with chronic pain but the extent to which this relationship is associated with biopsychosocial factors is not known. We investigated relationships between blood C-reactive protein (CRP) and regional chronic pain conditions adjusting for a large range and number of potential confounders. We performed cross-sectional analyses using the UK Biobank (N = 415,567) comparing CRP in people reporting any of 9 types of regional chronic pain with pain-free controls. Using logistic regression modelling, we explored relationships between CRP and the presence of chronic pain, with demographic, socioeconomic, psychological/lifestyle factors, and medical comorbidities as covariates. CRP was higher in chronic pain at any site compared with controls (Females: median [interquartile range] 1.60 mg/L [2.74] vs 1.17 mg/L [1.87], P < .001; Males: 1.44 mg/L [2.12] vs 1.15 mg/L [1.65], P < .001). In males, associations between CRP and all types of chronic pain were attenuated but remained significant after adjustment for biopsychosocial covariates (OR range 1.08-1.49, P ≤ .001). For females, adjusted associations between CRP and pain remained significant for most chronic pain types (OR range 1.07-1.34, P < .001) except for facial pain (OR 1.04, P = .17) and headache (OR 1.02, P = .07)-although these non-significant findings may reflect reduced sample size. The significant association between CRP and chronic pain after adjustment for key biopsychosocial confounders implicates an independent underlying biological mechanism of inflammation in chronic pain. The presence of yet unknown or unmeasured confounding factors cannot be ruled out. Our findings may inform better-targeted treatments for chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: Using a large-scale dataset, this article investigates associations between chronic pain conditions and blood C-reactive protein (CRP), to evaluate the confounding effects of a range of biopsychosocial factors. CRP levels were higher in those with chronic pain versus controls after adjusting for confounders-suggesting a possible independent biological mechanism.

Network analyses reveal the interaction between physical features, fear of movement and neck pain and disability in people with acute and chronic whiplash-associated disorders

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

A network analysis can be used to quantitatively assess and graphically describe multiple interactions. This study applied network analyses to determine the interaction between physical and pain-related factors and fear of movement in people with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) during periods of acute and chronic pain.

METHODS

Physical measurements, including pressure pain-thresholds (PPT) over neural structures, cervical range of motion, neck flexor and extensor endurance and the cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT), in addition to subjective reports including the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and neck pain and headache intensity, were assessed at baseline in 47 participants with acute WAD. TSK-11, NDI and pain intensity were assessed for the same participants 6 months later (n = 45). Two network analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between features at baseline and at 6 months and their centrality indices.

RESULTS

Both network analyses revealed that the greatest weight indices were found for NDI and CCFT at baseline and for neck pain and headache intensity and NDI and TSK-11 at both time points. Associations were also found betweeen cervical muscle endurance and neck pain intensity in the acute phase. Cervical muscle endurance assesssed during the acute phase was also associated with NDI after 6 months - whereas PPT measured at baseline was associsated with headache intensity after 6 months.

CONCLUSION

The strongest associations were found for headache and neck pain intensity and neck disability and fear of movement, both during acute pain and when mesured 6 months later. The extent of neck endurance and measures of PPT at baseline may be associated with neck disability and headache, respectively, 6 months after a whiplash injury.

SIGNIFICANCE

Through two network analyses, we evaluated the interaction between pain-related factors, fear of movement, neck disability and physical factors in people who had experienced a whiplash injury. We demonstrated that physical factors may be involved in the maintenance and development of chronic pain after a whiplash injury. Nevertheless, the strongest associations were found for headache and neck pain intensity and neck disability and fear of movement, both during acute and chronic phases.

Neck Symptoms and Associated Clinical Outcomes in Patients Following Concussion

OBJECTIVE

To examine the frequency and association of neck pain symptoms in patients with a concussion.

STUDY SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Three-hundred and thirty-one consecutively enrolled patients aged 9 to 68 years with a diagnosed concussion 1 to 384 days post-injury were enrolled at a concussion clinic from a single integrated healthcare system in Western Pennsylvania between 2019 and 2021.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort analysis of prospectively collected concussion screening tool intake survey responses and clinical outcomes data. The primary outcome was self-reported neck pain or difficulty with neck movement on the Concussion Clinical Profiles Screening (CP Screen) tool, recovery time, and incidence of treatment referral. Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) composite scores, Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) item scores, type and severity of neck symptoms, mechanism of injury, time from injury to clinic presentation, medical history, and concussion symptom profile were secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 306 consecutively enrolled eligible patients in the registry, 145 (47%) reported neck pain, 68 (22.2%) reported difficulty moving their neck, and 146 (47.7%) reported either symptom. A total of 47 (15.4%) participants reported more severe neck symptoms, and this group took longer to recover (40 ± 27 days) than those not reporting neck symptoms (30 ± 28 days; U = 8316, P < .001). Stepwise logistic regression predicting more severe neck symptoms was significant (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.174, χ 2 = 9.315, P = .316) with older age ( P = .019) and mechanism of injury including motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) ( P = .047) and falls ( P = .044) as risk factors. MVCs and falls were associated with over 4 times and 2 times greater risk, respectively, for reporting more severe neck symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Neck pain and stiffness symptoms are common in patients with a concussion following high-energy mechanisms of injury including MVCs or falls from height. These symptoms are associated with prolonged recovery. Providers should evaluate neck symptoms and consider targeted treatment strategies to limit their effects in patients with a concussion.

Bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited articles in nonspecific neck pain research: A STROBE-compliant study

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the top 100 cited articles in nonspecific neck pain (NSNP) research. A set of search terms was entered into the Web of Science database, and the articles with the highest citation counts in the field of NSNP were chosen. The top 100 articles were examined for total citation count, annual citations count, first author, year of publication, journal, study design, and country of origin. The citation count for the list final articles ranged from 181 to 2067, with an average of 291.9. The journal Spine contributed the most articles (25), followed by pain (16). Between 2001 and 2010, the most prolific years, 66 articles were published. In terms of country of origin, the majority of articles were from Australia (22). Vernon H., published the most cited article in the Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics in 1991, reporting the first instrument developed to assess self-reported disability in patients with neck pain. The bibliographic analysis to identify the top 100 most cited articles related to NSNP acknowledges the field historical advances and provides insight into the types of articles that have provided these advances.

Effectiveness of psychological interventions delivered by physiotherapists in the management of neck pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Physiotherapists are increasingly using psychological treatments for musculoskeletal conditions. We assessed the effects of physiotherapist-delivered psychological interventions on pain, disability, and quality of life in neck pain. We evaluated quality of intervention reporting. We searched databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprising individuals with acute or chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) or nontraumatic neck pain (NTNP), comparing physiotherapist-delivered psychological interventions to standard care or no treatment. Data were extracted regarding study characteristics and outcomes. Standardised mean difference (SMD) was calculated by random-effects meta-analysis. We evaluated certainty of evidence using Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) and intervention reporting using TIDieR. Fourteen RCTs (18 articles-4 detail additional outcome/follow-up data) were included comprising 2028 patients, examining acute WAD (n = 4), subacute/mixed NTNP (n = 3), chronic WAD (n = 2), and chronic NTNP (n = 5). Treatment effects on pain favoured psychological interventions in chronic NTNP at short-term (SMD -0.40 [95% CI -0.73, -0.07]), medium-term (SMD -0.29 [95% CI -0.57, 0.00]), and long-term (SMD -0.32 [95% CI -0.60, -0.05]) follow-up. For disability, effects favoured psychological interventions in acute WAD at short-term follow-up (SMD -0.39 [95% CI -0.72, -0.07]) and chronic NTNP at short-term (SMD -0.53 [95% CI -0.91, -0.15]), medium-term (SMD -0.49 [95% CI -0.77, -0.21]), and long-term (SMD -0.60 [95% CI -0.94, -0.26]) follow-up. GRADE ratings were typically moderate, and intervention reporting often lacked provision of trial materials and procedural descriptions. Psychological interventions delivered by physiotherapists were more effective than standard physiotherapy for chronic NTNP (small-to-medium effects) and, in the short term, acute WAD.

A guide to identify cervical autonomic dysfunctions (and associated conditions) in patients with musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapy practice

BACKGROUND

Differential diagnosis is a hot topic in physical therapy, especially for those working in a direct access setting dealing with neck pain and its associated disorders. All international guidelines agree in recommending to first rule out non-musculoskeletal pathologies as the cause of signs and symptoms in the patient. Although the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has a crucial role and is also involved in pain conditions, coverage of it in neuroscience textbooks and educational programmes is limited and most healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with it. Although autonomic conditions are benign in nature, they are clinically of great importance as they may be a 'red flag' warning of an injury along the sympathetic pathway. Therefore, sound knowledge of the ANS system is essential for clinicians.

OBJECTIVE

To develop physical therapists' knowledge of and confidence in understanding cervical ANS function and dysfunction, thus enhancing clinical reasoning skills and the pattern recognition process, and performing and interpreting objective examinations.

METHODS

This master class provides an introductory guide and essential knowledge to facilitate clinicians to understand cervical autonomic dysfunctions and their clinical evaluation. The optimal referral method is also handled.

CONCLUSIONS

Gaining knowledge and understanding of the ANS, its function, its dysfunction, and the related clinical manifestations is likely to lead to a decision-making process driven by 'science and conscience'. This will empower physical therapists to be aware of subtle clues that may be offered by patients during the interview and history intake leading to the appropriate physical examination and triage.

A Shared Genetic Signature for Common Chronic Pain Conditions and its Impact on Biopsychosocial Traits

The multiple comorbidities & dimensions of chronic pain present a formidable challenge in disentangling its aetiology. Here, we performed genome-wide association studies of 8 chronic pain types using UK Biobank data (N =4,037-79,089 cases; N = 239,125 controls), followed by bivariate linkage disequilibrium-score regression and latent causal variable analyses to determine (respectively) their genetic correlations and genetic causal proportion (GCP) parameters with 1,492 other complex traits. We report evidence of a shared genetic signature across chronic pain types as their genetic correlations and GCP directions were broadly consistent across an array of biopsychosocial traits. Across 5,942 significant genetic correlations, 570 trait pairs could be explained by a causal association (|GCP| >0.6; 5% false discovery rate), including 82 traits affected by pain while 410 contributed to an increased risk of chronic pain (cf. 78 with a decreased risk) such as certain somatic pathologies (eg, musculoskeletal), psychiatric traits (eg, depression), socioeconomic factors (eg, occupation) and medical comorbidities (eg, cardiovascular disease). This data-driven phenome-wide association analysis has demonstrated a novel and efficient strategy for identifying genetically supported risk & protective traits to enhance the design of interventional trials targeting underlying causal factors and accelerate the development of more effective treatments with broader clinical utility. PERSPECTIVE: Through large-scale phenome-wide association analyses of >1,400 biopsychosocial traits, this article provides evidence for a shared genetic signature across 8 common chronic pain types. It lays the foundation for further translational studies focused on identifying causal genetic variants and pathophysiological pathways to develop novel diagnostic & therapeutic technologies and strategies.

Pain and Depression Account for More Than One Half of the Neck Disability Variance Among Adult Women with Chiari I

OBJECTIVE

We sought to quantify the neck-related disability in adult women with Chiari malformation type I and identify the significantly related variables.

METHODS

A total of 70 variables were selected from the self-report history questionnaires (12 variables; n = 474), standardized scales (15 variables; n = 474), and morphometric data (43 variables; n = 293-474) of adult women with Chiari malformation type I. The variables were tested independently to identify those with a significant relationship to the Neck Disability Index (NDI; P < 0.00071) and those that might be associated with the NDI (P < 0.05). A forward selection regression model was constructed to identify the variables contributing unique variance to the NDI. In addition, a mediation analysis was performed to determine whether depression mediated the relationship between pain and disability.

RESULTS

Overall, 79.5% of the patients had scored at a moderate level of disability or higher. Independent testing identified 16 significant variables, including symptom duration, tonsillar position, and measures of psychological distress. The short-form McGill pain questionnaire-2 (r = 0.69; P < 0.00001) and CES-D scale for depression (r = 0.56; P < 0.00001) exhibited the highest correlations with the NDI. The forward selection regression model produced an R2 of 0.6178. Pain and depression accounted for more than one half of the NDI variance.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that high levels of disability are common among adult women with Chiari malformation type I, independent of surgical status. Pain and depression were the primary factors related to this disability. Depression mediated the relationship between pain intensity and disability at a modest level (5%). Patients who had experienced symptoms for >2 years before diagnosis had had, on average, 77% higher NDI scores, highlighting the importance of a timely diagnosis.

Relationship of Healthy Building Determinants With Back and Neck Pain: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Back pain and neck pain are very common, costly, and disabling. Healthy building determinants within the built environment have not been adequately assessed as contributors to these conditions. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on the relationship of healthy building determinants with back and neck pain.

DATA SOURCE

PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PEDRo. Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Studies were included if they met the following criteria: Adults, comparison of healthy building determinants (air quality, ventilation, dust and pests, lighting and views, moisture, noise, safety/security, thermal health, water quality) with back and neck pain, original research, English. Studies were excluded if full text articles were unavailable and if the focus was patient and materials handling or ergonomics.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data extraction and other review procedures were elaborated according to PRISMA guidelines. Data Synthesis: Data were synthesized with an approach adapted from Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and American Physical Therapy Association.

RESULTS

37 articles enrolling 46,223 participants were eligible. Most articles were cross-sectional (31/37) and fair quality (28/37). None were interventional. Evidence was found to generally support a relationship indicating that as healthy building determinants worsen, the risk of back and neck pain increases.

CONCLUSION

Although the available evidence precludes interpretations about causality, the study's findings are starting points to guide future research, knowledge creation, and health promotion initiatives about the relationships of the built environment with back and neck pain.

Does peripheral neuroinflammation predict chronicity following whiplash injury? Protocol for a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Whiplash-associated disorder grade 2 (WAD2) is characterised by musculoskeletal pain/tenderness but no apparent nerve injury. However, studies have found clinical features indicative of neuropathy and neuropathic pain. These studies may indicate peripheral nerve inflammation, since preclinical neuritis models found mechanical sensitivity in inflamed, intact nociceptors. The primary aim of this study is to establish the contribution of peripheral neuroinflammation to WAD2 and its role in prognosis. Participants will be invited to participate in a sub-study investigating the contribution of cutaneous small fibre pathology to WAD2.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

115 participants within 1 month following whiplash injury and 34 healthy control participants will be recruited and complete validated questionnaires for pain, function and psychological factors. Data collection will take place at the Universities of Sussex and Oxford, UK. Clinical examination, quantitative sensory testing and blood samples will be undertaken. MRI scans using T2-weighted and diffusion tensor images of the brachial plexus and wrist will determine nerve inflammation and nerve structural changes. Skin biopsies from a substudy will determine structural integrity of dermal and intraepidermal nerve fibres. At 6 months, we will evaluate recovery using Neck Disability Index and a self-rated global recovery question and repeat the outcome measures. Regression analysis will identify differences in MRI parameters, clinical tests and skin biopsies between participants with WAD2 and age/gender-matched controls. Linear and logistic regression analyses will assess if nerve inflammation (MRI parameters) predicts poor outcome. Mixed effects modelling will compare MRI and clinical measures between recovered and non-recovered participants over time.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was received from London-Brighton and Sussex Research Ethics Committee (20/PR/0625) and South Central-Oxford C Ethics Committee (18/SC/0263). Written informed consent will be obtained from participants prior to participation in the study. Results will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at national/international conferences and social media.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04940923.

Perceived pain and disability but not fear of movement are associated with altered cervical kinematics in people with acute neck pain following a whiplash injury

OBJECTIVES

To determine if measures of cervical kinematics are altered in people with acute whiplash associated disorders (WAD) and secondarily, to examine whether kinematic variables are associated with self-reported outcomes.

METHODS

We recruited people with acute WAD within 15 days after a motor vehicle collision and asymptomatic control participants. All participants performed active neck movements at a self-determined velocity. Maximal range of motion (ROM), peak and mean velocity of movement, smoothness of movement, and cervical joint position error were assessed. Moreover, self-reported measures of perceived pain and disability, pain catastrophising, and fear of movement were obtained.

RESULTS

Sixty people participated: 18 with acute WAD (mean age [SD] 38.7 [12.0]) and 42 as asymptomatic controls (mean age [SD] 38.4 [10.2]). Participants with acute WAD showed significantly decreased ROM in all movement directions (p < 0.0001). All participants with acute WAD showed a reduction in the mean and peak velocity of movement in all directions (p < 0.0001) and the number of velocity peaks was significantly higher (i.e., reduced smoothness of movement) in those with acute WAD in all directions (p < 0.0001). Repositioning acuity following cervical rotation was not significantly different between groups. Neck pain-related disability showed the largest number of significant associations with kinematic features, while fear of movement was not associated with measures of cervical kinematics.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants with acute WAD presented with altered cervical kinematics compared to asymptomatic participants. Several measures of cervical kinematics were associated with the level of pain and disability in people with acute WAD but not their fear of movement.

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Concomitant Treatment with Chuna Manual Therapy and Usual Care for Whiplash Injuries: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of Chuna manual therapy combined with usual care to those of usual care alone for treating whiplash injuries.

DESIGN

A two-arm, parallel, assessor-blinded, multicenter pragmatic randomized clinical trial.

SETTING

Three hospitals in Korea.

PARTICIPANTS

Overall, 132 participants between 19 and 70 years of age, involved in traffic accidents and treated at three hospitals in Korea, >2 but <13 weeks prior to enrollment, with neck pain consistent with whiplash-associated disorder grades I and II and a numeric rating scale score ≥5 were included.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were equally and randomly allocated to the Chuna manual therapy and usual care (n = 66) or usual care (n = 66) groups and underwent corresponding treatment for three weeks.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the number of days to achieve a 50% pain reduction. Secondary outcomes included areas under the 50% numeric rating scale reduction curve: pain, disability, quality of life, and safety.

RESULTS

The Chuna manual therapy + usual care group (23.31 ± 21.36 days; p = 0.01) required significantly fewer days to achieve 50% pain reduction compared to the usual care group (50.41 ± 48.32 days; p = 0.01). Regarding pain severity, functional index, and quality of life index, Chuna manual therapy and usual care were more effective than usual care alone. Safety was acceptable in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with subacute whiplash injury, Chuna manual therapy showed a rapid rate of recovery, high effectiveness, and safety.

Estimating Risk of Chronic Pain and Disability Following Musculoskeletal Trauma in the United Kingdom

IMPORTANCE

Serious traumatic injury is a leading cause of death and disability globally, with most survivors known to develop chronic pain.

OBJECTIVE

To describe early variables associated with poor long-term outcome for posttrauma pain and create a clinical screening tool for this purpose.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a prospective cohort study at a major trauma center hospital in England. Recruitment commenced in December 2018 and ceased in March 2020. Participants were followed up for 12 months. Patients aged 16 years or older who were hospitalized because of acute musculoskeletal trauma within the preceding 14 days were included. Data were analyzed from March to December 2021.

EXPOSURE

Acute musculoskeletal trauma requiring admittance to a major trauma center hospital.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

A poor outcome was defined as Chronic Pain Grade II or higher and measured at both 6 months (primary time point) and 12 months. A broad range of candidate variables potentially associated with outcomes were used, including surrogates for pain mechanisms, quantitative sensory testing, and psychosocial factors. Univariable models were used to identify the variables most likely to be associated with poor outcome, which were entered into multivariable models. A clinical screening tool (nomogram) was derived from 6-month results.

RESULTS

In total, 1590 consecutive patients were assessed for eligibility, of whom 772 were deemed eligible and 124 (80 male [64.5%]; mean [SD] age, 48.9 [18.8] years) were recruited. At 6 months, 19 of 82 respondents (23.2%) reported a good outcome, whereas at 12 months 27 of 44 respondents (61.4%) reported a good outcome. At 6 months on univariable analysis, an increase in total posttraumatic stress symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 2.09; 95% CI, 1.33-3.28), pain intensity average (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.37-6.00), number of fractures (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.02-7.64), and pain extent (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.57-13.87) were associated with worse outcomes. A multivariable model including those variables had a sensitivity of 0.93, a specificity of 0.54, and C-index of 0.92.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

A poor long-term pain outcome from musculoskeletal traumatic injuries may be estimated by measures recorded within days of injury. These findings suggest that posttraumatic stress symptoms, pain spatial distribution, perceived average pain intensity, and number of fractures are good candidates for a sensitive multivariable model and derived clinical screening tool.

A clinical test to assess isometric cervical strength in chronic whiplash associated disorder (WAD): a reliability study

Background

Cervical spine muscle weakness is well demonstrated in individuals with chronic neck pain. There is a lack of literature evaluating clinically applicable means of assessing isometric cervical strength in chronic whiplash associated disorder (WAD). This study assessed the reliability of self-resisted isometric cervical strength testing using a handheld dynamometer. The relationship between strength and neck pain-related disability and kinesiophobia was also investigated.

Methods

Twenty subjects with chronic WAD performed maximum-effort isometric cervical flexion, extension, side flexion, and rotation against a hand held dynamometer. The dynamometer was held by the subject, who provided self-resistance. Subjects completed two sessions of testing on one day with two different examiners, and one session on a subsequent day with one of the original examiners. Subjects completed the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) prior to the first testing session.

Results

Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for directional strength measures were fair to high (0.71–0.88 for intra-rater and 0.79–0.91 for inter-rater). Total strength (sum of all directional strengths) ICCs were high for both intra-rater (ICC = 0.91) and inter-rater (ICC = 0.94) measures. All statistical tests for ICCs demonstrated significance (α < 0.05). Agreement was assessed using Bland Altman (BA) analysis with 95% limits of agreement. BA analysis demonstrated difference scores between the two testing sessions that ranged from 3.0—17.3% and 4.5—28.5% of the mean score for intra and inter-rater measures, respectively. Most measures did not meet the a priori standard for agreement. A moderate to good inverse relationship was demonstrated between kinesiophobia (TSK score) and six out of seven strength measures (α < .05). No significant correlation was found between neck disability (NDI) and cervical strength in any direction.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated fair to high reliability of self resisted isometric cervical strength testing in the chronic WAD population. All directional strength measures except flexion demonstrated a significant inverse relationship with kinesiophobia. No cervical strength measures were correlated with neck disability. These results support testing cervical strength in this manner to reliably assess change over time within individual patients. The value of such measurement requires further consideration given the lack of correlation between cervical strength and disability. Further research is required to establish normative values and enhance clinical utility.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12891-022-05703-0.

Nerve pathology and neuropathic pain after whiplash injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

There is no clear understanding of the mechanisms causing persistent pain in patients with whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). The aim of this systematic review was to assess the evidence for nerve pathology and neuropathic pain in patients with WAD. EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCO), and MEDLINE were searched from inception to September 1, 2020. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scales. Fifty-four studies reporting on 390,644 patients and 918 controls were included. Clinical questionnaires suggested symptoms of predominant neuropathic characteristic in 34% of patients (range 25%-75%). The mean prevalence of nerve pathology detected with neurological examination was 13% (0%-100%) and 32% (10%-100%) with electrodiagnostic testing. Patients independent of WAD severity (Quebec Task Force grades I-IV) demonstrated significantly impaired sensory detection thresholds of the index finger compared with controls, including mechanical (SMD 0.65 [0.30; 1.00] P < 0.005), current (SMD 0.82 [0.25; 1.39] P = 0.0165), cold (SMD -0.43 [-0.73; -0.13] P = 0.0204), and warm detection (SMD 0.84 [0.25; 1.42] P = 0.0200). Patients with WAD had significantly heightened nerve mechanosensitivity compared with controls on median nerve pressure pain thresholds (SMD -1.10 [-1.50; -0.70], P < 0.0001) and neurodynamic tests (SMD 1.68 [0.92; 2.44], P = 0.0004). Similar sensory dysfunction and nerve mechanosensitivity was seen in WAD grade II, which contradicts its traditional definition of absent nerve involvement. Our findings strongly suggest a subset of patients with WAD demonstrate signs of peripheral nerve pathology and neuropathic pain. Although there was heterogeneity among some studies, typical WAD classifications may need to be reconsidered and include detailed clinical assessments for nerve integrity.

Associations between resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, psychological variables and pain processing in chronic whiplash-associated disorder: a cross-sectional study

Objective

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction has been implicated in chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). However, the relationship between autonomic variables (e.g., resting heart rate and blood pressure) and clinical factors in chronic WAD is not well understood. This study sought to examine the associations between resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, pain processing and psychological variables in chronic WAD and in pain-free controls.

Design

Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study.

Setting

University clinical research laboratory.

Subjects

Thirty-six people with chronic WAD Grade II (mean [SD] age 40.1 [14.6] years, 28 females) and 25 pain-free controls (35.6 [13.0] years, 17 females).

Methods

Participants had resting heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured. Pain processing measures comprised: (i) pain pressure threshold at the cervical spine, hand and leg, (ii) temporal summation at the cervical spine and hand, and (iii) conditioned pain modulation. Psychological outcomes included measures of kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Correlations between autonomic variables, pain processing and psychological variables were determined (P < .05, 5% FDR).

Results

No significant correlations between autonomic and pain processing variables, or autonomic and psychological variables were found in the chronic WAD group. In the control group, diastolic blood pressure was positively correlated with cervical spine pressure pain threshold (r = 0.53, P = .007).

Conclusions

An association between blood pressure and pain sensitivity was observed in the control group but not the chronic WAD group. Such an association appears to be disrupted in chronic WAD, which may infer involvement of autonomic pathways in the pathophysiology of this condition.

Do expectations of recovery improve risk assessment for people with whiplash-associated disorders? Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study

Background

WhipPredict, which includes prognostic factors of pain-related disability, age and hyperarousal symptoms, was developed and validated for prediction of outcome in people with whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Patient expectations of recovery was not an included factor, though is known to mediate outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of expectations of recovery could improve the accuracy of WhipPredict.

Methods

Two hundred twenty-eight participants with acute WAD completed questionnaires (WhipPredict and expectations of recovery) at baseline. Health outcomes (neck disability index (NDI) and Global Perceived Recovery (GPR)) were assessed at 6- and 12-months post injury. Cut-off points for expectations of recovery predictive of both full recovery (NDI ≤10 % , GPR ≥ 4) and poor outcome (NDI ≥30 % , GPR ≤  − 3) were determined, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to compare models with and without this variable.

Results

Expectations of recovery improved or maintained the accuracy of predictions of poor outcome (6-months: sensitivity 78 to 83%, specificity maintained at 79.5%; 12-months: sensitivity maintained at 80%, specificity 69 to 73%). The sensitivity of predictions of full recovery improved (6-months: 68 to 76%; 12-months: 57 to 81%), though specificity did not change appreciably at 6 months (80 to 81%) and declined at 12 (83 to 76%). ROC curves indicated a larger and more consistent improvement in model performance when expectations of recovery were added to the pathway predictive of full recovery.

Conclusions

The addition of expectations of recovery may improve the accuracy of WhipPredict, though further validation is required.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12891-022-05242-8.

Assessment of Neuromuscular and Psychological Function in People with Recurrent Neck Pain during a Period of Remission: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses

The aim of this study was to examine for the presence of differences in neuromuscular and psychological function in individuals with recurrent neck pain (RNP) or chronic neck pain (CNP) following a whiplash trauma compared to healthy controls. A secondary aim was to examine whether neuromuscular characteristics together with psychological features in people with RNP were predictive of future painful episodes. Multiple features were assessed including neck disability, kinesiophobia, quality of life, cervical kinematics, proprioception, activity of superficial neck flexor muscles, maximum neck flexion and extension strength, and perceived exertion during submaximal contractions. Overall, those with RNP (n = 22) and CNP (n = 8) presented with higher neck disability, greater kinesiophobia, lower quality of life, slower and irregular neck movements, and less neck strength compared to controls (n = 15). Prediction analysis in the RNP group revealed that a higher number of previous pain episodes within the last 12 months along with lower neck flexion strength were predictors of higher neck disability at a 6-month follow-up. This preliminary study shows that participants with RNP presented with some degree of altered neuromuscular features and poorer psychological function with respect to healthy controls and these features were similar to those with CNP. Neck flexor weakness was predictive of future neck disability.

Are Measures of Physical Function of the Neck Region Associated With Poor Prognosis Following a Whiplash Trauma?: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to synthesize the current evidence regarding the predictive ability of measures of physical function (PF) of the neck region and perceived PF on prognosis following a whiplash injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Electronic databases were searched by 2 independent reviewers up to July 2020, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science as well as gray literature. Eligible studies were selected by 2 reviewers who then extracted and assessed the quality of evidence. Observational cohort studies were included if they involved participants with acute whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), followed for at least 3 months postinjury, and included objective measures of neck PF or self-reported measures of PF as prognostic factors. Data could not be pooled and therefore were synthesized qualitatively.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies (13 cohorts) were included in this review. Low to very low quality of evidence indicated that initial higher pain-related disability and higher WAD grade were associated with poor outcome, while there was inconclusive evidence that neck range of motion, joint position error, activity of the superficial neck muscles, muscle strength/endurance, and perceived functional capacity are not predictive of outcome. The predictive ability of more contemporary measures of neck PF such as the smoothness of neck movement, variability of neck motion, and coactivation of neck muscles have not been assessed.

DISCUSSION

Although initial higher pain-related disability and higher WAD grade are associated with poor outcome, there is little evidence available investigating the role of neck PF on prognosis following a whiplash injury.

Association of Spinal Manipulative Therapy With Changes in Cervical Motion Segment Interactions in Patients With Neck Pain: An Observational Study With Matched Asymptomatic Controls

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to determine (1) if maximal intervertebral range of motion (IV-RoMmax) and laxity interactions exist in the cervical spine during flexion, (2) if there are differences in IV-RoMmax or laxity parameters between baseline and follow-up in both patients with neck pain and asymptomatic controls, and (3) if there is an effect on IV-RoMmax/laxity relationships in patients with neck pain after spinal manipulative therapy.

METHODS

Twenty-nine patients with subacute or chronic neck pain and 33 asymptomatic controls were imaged during flexion and extension, pre and post a course of cervical chiropractic manipulation (patient group only), using a standardized quantitative fluoroscopy acquisition protocol.

RESULTS

Significant correlations between IV-RoMs were found in both neck pain and neck pain-free populations at baseline and follow-up. Positive relationships were found between C2-C3 and C3-C4 and C4-C5 and C5-C6 IV-RoM in both populations. A negative correlation was found in the patient group at baseline between C1-C2 and C5-C6, but not at follow-up. Significant relationships were also found for segmental laxity, with a negative correlation found at C1-C2 and C5-C6 in the patient group only and at baseline only.

CONCLUSION

Distinct relationships were found between both intraregional IV-RoM and laxity, many of which were present in both groups at baseline and follow-up, suggestive of normal kinematic behaviors. Changes in correlations unique to the patient group may be indicative of a change in regional kinematics resulting from the manipulation intervention. Spinal manipulative therapy may have a therapeutic effect by influencing cervical kinematics at the regional level.

Predicting nonrecovery in adults with incident traffic injuries including post-traumatic headache

IMPORTANCE

The management of traffic injuries is challenging for clinicians. Knowledge about predictors of nonrecovery from traffic injuries may help to improve patient care.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a prediction model for self-reported overall nonrecovery from traffic injuries six months post-collision in adults with incident traffic injuries including post-traumatic headache (PTH).

DESIGN

Inception cohort studies of adults with incident traffic injuries (including PTH) injured in traffic collisions between November 1997 and December 1999 in Saskatchewan, Canada; and between January 2004 and January 2005 in Sweden.

METHODS

Prediction model development and geographical external validation.

SETTING

The Saskatchewan cohort (development) was population-based (N = 4,162). The Swedish cohort (validation) (N = 379) were claimants from two insurance companies covering 20% of cars driven in Sweden in 2004.

PARTICIPANTS

All adults injured in traffic collisions who completed a baseline questionnaire within 30 days of collision. Excluded were those hospitalized > 2 days, lost consciousness > 30 min, or reported headache < 3/10 on the numerical rating scale. Follow-up rates for both cohorts were approximately 80%.

PREDICTORS

Baseline sociodemographic, pre-injury, and injury factors.

OUTCOME

Self-reported nonrecovery from all injuries (not "all better (cured)" on the self-perceived recovery scale) six months after traffic collision.

RESULTS

Both cohorts were predominantly female (69.8% in Saskatchewan, 65.2% in Sweden), with median ages 35.9 years (Saskatchewan), and 38.0 years (Sweden). Predictors were age, low back pain, symptoms in arms or hands, hearing problems, sleeping problems, pre-existing headache, and lower recovery expectations. With a positive score (i.e., ≥0.85 probability), the model can rule in the presence of self-reported nonrecovery from all injuries at six months (development: specificity = 91.3%, 95% CI 89.2%-93.0%; sensitivity = 27.8%, 95% CI 26.0%-29.7%; positive likelihood ratio (LR + ) = 3.2, 95% CI 2.5-4.0; negative likelihood ratio (LR-) = 0.79, 95% CI 0.76-0.82; validation: specificity = 72.6%, 95% CI 61.4%-81.5%; sensitivity = 60.5%, 95% CI 53.9%-66.7%); LR+ = 2.2, 95% CI 1.5-3.3; LR- = 0.5, 95% CI 0.4-0.7).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In adults with incident traffic injuries including PTH, predictors other than those related to baseline head and neck pain drive overall nonrecovery. Developing and testing interventions targeted at the modifiable predictors may help to improve outcomes for adults after traffic collision.

Temporal changes in pain processing after whiplash injury, based on Quantitative Sensory Testing: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

After whiplash injury, some patients develop chronic whiplash-associated disorders. The exact pathophysiology of this chronification is still unclear and more knowledge is needed regarding the different post-injury phases. Therefore, studies were searched that examined temporal changes in pain processing, measured by Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST).

DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT

This systematic review searched three electronic databases (Medline, Web of Science and Embase) for articles meeting the eligibility requirements. Risk of bias was assessed according to a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS

The 12 included studies presented moderate to good methodological quality. These studies showed altered pain processing within the first month after injury and normalization within 3 months in 59%-78% of the patients. After 3 months, recovery stagnates during the following years. Thermal and widespread mechanical hyperalgesia occur already in the acute phase, but only in eventually non-recovered patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in pain processing between recovering and non-recovering patients can be observed already in the acute phase. Early screening for signs of altered pain processing can identify patients with high risk for chronification. These insights in temporal changes show the importance of rehabilitation in the acute phase. Future research should target to develop a standardized (bed-site) QST protocol and collect normative data which could, in relation with self-reported pain parameters, allow clinicians to identify the risk for chronification.

SIGNIFICANCE

Altered pain processing is present soon after whiplash injury, but usually recovers within 3 months. Non-recovering patients show little to no improvements in the following years. Differences between recovering and non-recovering patients can be observed by Quantitative Sensory Testing already in the acute phase. Therefore, it is considered a feasible and effective tool that can contribute to the identification of high-risk patients and the prevention of chronification.

Experiences of responsiveness to exercise in people with chronic whiplash: A qualitative study

Exercise is recommended in clinical guidelines for the treatment of chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). However, randomised controlled trials have shown similar effects for comprehensive exercise programs and advice. To date, there is no clear understanding of why some individuals with WAD appear to respond to exercise whilst others do not. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences and self-reported characteristics of people with chronic whiplash identifying as 'responders' and 'non-responders' to exercise. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 people with chronic whiplash (patients) and seven treating physiotherapists. Patients were asked whether they responded to the exercise program, and what contributed to this. Physiotherapists were asked to share their experiences about the characteristics of people that appear to respond to exercise, and those that do not. An interpretive descriptive approach was selected to facilitate the generation of discipline-specific knowledge. Four themes were generated from patient and physiotherapist interviews, including: (1) the therapeutic relationship, (2) exercise experiences and beliefs, (3) self-efficacy and acceptance, (4) physical and psychological determinants of responsiveness. Responsiveness to exercise is complex and multifaceted. Clinicians may seek to identify the presence of discrete physical impairment(s) (e.g., range of motion restriction), and where present, determine whether targeted exercise results in an immediate and positive response. Clinicians may also focus their efforts on developing aspects of the therapeutic relationship identified as important to patients, such as hope, partnership and rapport.

Combining Stress Management With Pain Neuroscience Education and Exercise Therapy in People With Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Clinical Perspective

Individuals classified as having whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) grade II, which reflects approximately 93% of people with WAD who are commonly managed by health care professionals, exhibit both physical (eg, pain and disability) and psychological (eg, fear of movement, anxiety, posttraumatic stress) problems that, in approximately 50% of cases, persist beyond 3 months. There is still much ongoing debate regarding factors predictive of poor recovery. The strongest associations have been found for high initial pain and disability following whiplash injury. In addition, a growing body of evidence supports the clinical importance of characteristic features, such as disturbed nociceptive processing (eg, local or general hyperalgesia to cold and mechanical stimuli), inefficient cognitions and beliefs about pain/movement/recovery, and posttraumatic stress symptoms, in the development and maintenance of physical and psychological manifestations in individuals with WAD. For this reason, the field shifted away from single interventions that mainly follow a biomedical approach, such as exercise therapy and activity programs, to gold standard multimodal care (at least 2 distinct therapeutic modalities given by 1 or more health care professionals) that acknowledges the biopsychological nature of WAD. To date, there exist several multimodal care approaches to managing WAD; however, for most, the efficacy has been found to be rather limited. One may argue that the limited success of some approaches can be attributed to the fact that they focused mainly on rehabilitating the physical symptoms (eg, pain, disability) rather than also the associated cognitive (eg, catastrophizing) and psychological (eg, posttraumatic stress symptoms) symptoms of the condition, leaving much room for improvement. In this article, current and previous evidence is used to explain why and how a comprehensive and multimodal treatment for people with WAD-consisting of a combination of pain neuroscience education, cognition-targeted exercise therapy, and stress management-can be applied in clinical practice.

External validation of prognostic models for recovery in patients with neck pain

Background

Neck pain is one of the leading causes of disability in most countries and it is likely to increase further. Numerous prognostic models for people with neck pain have been developed, few have been validated. In a recent systematic review, external validation of three promising models was advised before they can be used in clinical practice.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to externally validate three promising models that predict neck pain recovery in primary care.

Methods

This validation cohort consisted of 1311 patients with neck pain of any duration who were prospectively recruited and treated by 345 manual therapists in the Netherlands. Outcome measures were disability (Neck Disability Index) and recovery (Global Perceived Effect Scale) post-treatment and at 1-year follow-up. The assessed models were an Australian Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD) model (Amodel), a multicenter WAD model (Mmodel), and a Dutch non-specific neck pain model (Dmodel). Models’ discrimination and calibration were evaluated.

Results

The Dmodel and Amodel discriminative performance (AUC < 0.70) and calibration measures (slope largely different from 1) were poor. The Mmodel could not be evaluated since several variables nor their proxies were available.

Conclusions

External validation of promising prognostic models for neck pain recovery was not successful and their clinical use cannot be recommended. We advise clinicians to underpin their current clinical reasoning process with evidence-based individual prognostic factors for recovery. Further research on finding new prognostic factors and developing and validating models with up-to-date methodology is needed for recovery in patients with neck pain in primary care.

Increased GABA+ in People With Migraine, Headache, and Pain Conditions- A Potential Marker of Pain

Treatment outcomes for migraine and other chronic headache and pain conditions typically demonstrate modest results. A greater understanding of underlying pain mechanisms may better inform treatments and improve outcomes. Increased GABA+ has been identified in recent studies of migraine, however, it is unclear if this is present in other headache, and pain conditions. We primarily investigated GABA+ levels in the posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG) of people with migraine, whiplash-headache and low back pain compared to age- and sex-matched controls, GABA+ levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and thalamus formed secondary aims. Using a cross-sectional design, we studied people with migraine, whiplash-headache or low back pain (n = 56) and compared them with a pool of age- and sex-matched controls (n = 22). We used spectral-edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3T (MEGA-PRESS) to determine levels of GABA+ in the PCG, ACC and thalamus. PCG GABA+ levels were significantly higher in people with migraine and low back pain compared with controls (eg, migraine 4.89 IU ± 0.62 vs controls 4.62 IU ± 0.38; P = .02). Higher GABA+ levels in the PCG were not unique to migraine and could reflect a mechanism of chronic pain in general. A better understanding of pain at a neurochemical level informs the development of treatments that target aberrant brain neurochemistry to improve patient outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: This study provides insights into the underlying mechanisms of chronic pain. Higher levels of GABA+ in the PCG may reflect an underlying mechanism of chronic headache and pain conditions. This knowledge may help improve patient outcomes through developing treatments that specifically address this aberrant brain neurochemistry.

Cold pain hypersensitivity predicts trajectories of pain and disability after low back surgery: a prospective cohort study

Improving the ability to predict persistent pain after spine surgery would allow identification of patients at risk and guide treatment decisions. Quantitative sensory tests (QST) are measures of altered pain processes, but in our previous study, preoperative QST did not predict pain and disability at single time-points. Trajectory analysis accounts for time-dependent patterns. We hypothesized that QST predict trajectories of pain and disability during 1 year after low back surgery. We performed a trajectory analysis on the cohort of our previous study (n = 141). Baseline QST included electrical, pressure, heat, and cold stimulation of the low back and lower extremity, temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation. Pain intensity and Oswestry Disability Index were measured before, and 2, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Bivariate trajectories for pain and disability were computed using group-based trajectory models. Multivariable regressions were used to identify QST as predictors of trajectory groups, with sociodemographic, psychological, and clinical characteristics as covariates. Cold pain hypersensitivity at the leg, not being married, and long pain duration independently predicted worse recovery (complete-to-incomplete, incomplete-to-no recovery). Cold pain hypersensitivity increased the odds for worse recovery by 3.8 (95% confidence intervals 1.8-8.0, P < 0.001) and 3.0 (1.3-7.0, P = 0.012) in the univariable and multivariable analyses, respectively. Trajectory analysis, but not analysis at single time-points, identified cold pain hypersensitivity as strong predictor of worse recovery, supporting altered pain processes as predisposing factor for persisting pain and disability, and a broader use of trajectory analysis. Assessment of cold pain sensitivity may be a clinically applicable, prognostic test.

Pain after a motor vehicle crash: The role of socio-demographics, crash characteristics and peri-traumatic stress symptoms

BACKGROUND

The vast majority of individuals who come to the emergency department (ED) for care after a motor vehicle collision (MVC) are diagnosed with musculoskeletal strain only and are discharged to home. A significant subset of this population will still develop persistent pain and posttraumatic psychological sequelae may play an important role in pain persistence.

METHODS

We conducted a multisite longitudinal cohort study of adverse post-traumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae among patients seeking ED treatment in the aftermath of a traumatic life experience. We report on a sub-group of patients (n = 666) presenting after an MVC, the most common type of trauma and we examine associations of socio-demographic and MVC characteristics, and persistent pain 8 weeks after MVC. We also examine the degree to which these associations are related to peritraumatic psychological symptoms and 2-week acute stress reactions using an applied approach.

RESULTS

Eight-week prevalence of persistent moderate or severe pain was high (67.4%) and positively associated with patient sex (female), older age, low socioeconomic status (education and income) and pain severity in the ED. Peritraumatic stress symptoms (distress and dissociation) appear to exert some influence on both acute pain and the transition from acute to persistent pain.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The early aftermath of an MVC may be an important time period for intervening to prevent and reduce persistent pain. Substantial variation in mediating pathways across predictors also suggests potential diverse and complex underlying biological and psychological pathogenic processes are at work in the early weeks following trauma.

SIGNIFICANCE

The first several days after trauma may dictate recovery trajectories. Persistent pain, pain lasting beyond the expected time of recovery, is associated with pain early in the recovery period, but also mediated through other pathways. Future work is needed to understand the complex neurobiological processes in involved in the development of persistent and acute post-traumatic pain.

MRI-Based Assessment of Masticatory Muscle Changes in TMD Patients after Whiplash Injury

Objective: to investigate the change in volume and signal in the masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) after whiplash injury, based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to correlate them with other clinical parameters. Methods: ninety patients (64 women, 26 men; mean age: 39.36 ± 15.40 years), including 45 patients with symptoms of TMD after whiplash injury (wTMD), and 45 age- and sex-matched controls with TMD due to idiopathic causes (iTMD) were included. TMD was diagnosed using the study diagnostic criteria for TMD Axis I, and MRI findings of the TMJ and masticatory muscles were investigated. To evaluate the severity of TMD pain and muscle tenderness, we used a visual analog scale (VAS), palpation index (PI), and neck PI. Results: TMD indexes, including VAS, PI, and neck PI were significantly higher in the wTMD group. In the wTMD group, muscle tenderness was highest in the masseter muscle (71.1%), and muscle tenderness in the temporalis (60.0%), lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) (22.2%), and medial pterygoid muscle (15.6%) was significantly more frequent than that in the iTMD group (all p < 0.05). The most noticeable structural changes in the masticatory muscles occurred in the LPM with whiplash injury. Volume (57.8% vs. 17.8%) and signal changes (42.2% vs. 15.6%) of LPM were significantly more frequent in the wTMD group than in the iTMD group. The presence of signal changes in the LPM was positively correlated with the increased VAS scores only in the wTMD group (r = 0.346, p = 0.020). The prevalence of anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDWoR) (53.3% vs. 28.9%) and disc deformity (57.8% vs. 40.0%) were significantly higher in the wTMD group (p < 0.05). The presence of headache, sleep problems, and psychological distress was significantly higher in the wTMD group than in the iTMD group. Conclusion: abnormal MRI findings and their correlations with clinical characteristics of the wTMD group were different from those of the iTMD group. The underlying pathophysiology may differ depending on the cause of TMD, raising the need for a treatment strategy accordingly.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Assessment of Brain Metabolite Concentrations in Individuals With Chronic Whiplash-associated Disorder: A Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

Pathophysiologic mechanisms underpinning ongoing pain in whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) are not well understood, however, alterations in brain morphology and function have been observed in this population and in other chronic pain conditions. This study investigated metabolite profiles of brain regions in people with chronic WAD compared with controls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-eight individuals with chronic WAD (mean [SD] age, 39.5 [11.3] years, 23 female individuals) and 16 pain-free controls (38.9 [12.7] years, 11 female individuals) underwent multivoxel brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy. At the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), primary motor cortex (1MC), and somatosensory cortex (SSC), ratios of metabolite concentrations were calculated for N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), myo-inositol (Ins), and glutamate/glutamine (Glx). Chronic WAD group participants completed clinical questionnaires and cold and pressure pain threshold assessment. Data were analyzed with hypothesis testing and Spearman correlations (P≥0.05), with Benjamini-Hochberg corrections (5% false discovery rate).

RESULTS

No group differences were observed for NAA:Cr, NAA:Cho, Cr:Cho, Glx:NAA, Glx:Cr, Glx:Cho, Ins:NAA, Ins:Cr, Ins:Cho or Ins:Glx for left or right ACC, 1MC, or SSC following correction for multiple comparisons. No significant correlations were observed between metabolite ratios and any clinical variable.

DISCUSSION

These results suggest that ongoing pain and disability in this population may not be underpinned by metabolite aberrations in the brain regions examined. Further research is required to progress our understanding of cortical contributions to neurophysiologic mechanisms in chronic WAD.

Association of Claustrophobia and Anxiety with Cast Intolerance in Patients with Extremity Injuries

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing casting for upper or lower extremity injuries may present with recalcitrant pain without an identifiable physiologic etiology, which increases the likelihood of more frequent or unscheduled office visits, insomnia, decreased patient satisfaction, unnecessary investigative procedures or treatments, and-in some cases-cast intolerance. The exact causes of cast intolerance are not well studied, although claustrophobia and associated fears of suffocation and restriction may be underlying causes.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

We sought to explore the association between claustrophobic tendencies and cast intolerance. We hypothesized that patients with claustrophobia or claustrophobic tendencies would have a higher rate of cast intolerance.

METHODS

Patients requiring circumferential casting of an upper or lower extremity were prospectively enrolled at the time of cast application. Data were collected at each office visit until cast removal. Pre- and post-casting anxiety were quantified using the Beck Anxiety Inventory^® (BAI^®). Pain was assessed at each visit using the visual analog scale (VAS). Claustrophobic tendencies were evaluated after cast removal using the Claustrophobia Questionnaire (CLQ). At the completion of the study, patients were assigned to either the cast-tolerant or the cast-intolerance cohort according to predetermined criteria. CLQ, BAI, and VAS scores were compared between cohorts.

RESULTS

Out of 199 patients enrolled, 4% (n = 8) met the criteria for cast intolerance. There was no difference in BAI (anxiety) scores between groups at casting, but cast-intolerant patients had significantly lower post-casting BAI scores than the cast-tolerant controls, indicating a decrease in anxiety after cast removal. Taken together, both groups demonstrated significant reduction in VAS scores from casting to cast removal. The tolerant group had a significant reduction in VAS scores, whereas the intolerant group did not. The intolerant group had a significant negative correlation between initial VAS scores and final BAI scores. The tolerant group had a significant positive correlation between initial VAS scores and final BAI scores, as well as between final VAS scores and final BAI scores. Interestingly, no difference in CLQ scores was seen between groups, although there were positive correlations between CLQ scores and pre- and post-casting anxiety scores and between CLQ and final VAS scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Our hypothesis was not supported. Although we did not find a relationship between claustrophobia and cast intolerance, we did find significant correlations between anxiety and pain. The tolerant group's initial and final pain scores had significantly positive correlations to final anxiety, suggesting that pain is likely to cause or increase anxiety; indeed, as pain decreased, so did anxiety. The intolerant group, however, had a significant negative correlation between initial pain and final anxiety scores. It would not be expected that lower pain scores would increase anxiety. This may suggest that cast-intolerant patients experience or report their anxiety as pain. These findings may explain why some patients suffer from pain that cannot be explained by an underlying physiologic process and is resistant to traditional pain management. A multidisciplinary approach, including psychological and psychosocial assessments, may help identify nonphysiologic components to pain. An accurate diagnosis for the cause of pain may lead to nonpharmacological interventions and therefore reduce opioid use and overall costs and improve patient outcomes.

Do measures of physical function enhance the prediction of persistent pain and disability following a whiplash injury? Protocol for a prospective observational study in Spain

INTRODUCTION

Not all factors that predict persistent pain and disability following whiplash injury are known. In particular, few physical factors, such as changes in movement and muscle behaviour, have been investigated. The aim of this study is to identify predictive factors that are associated with the development of persistent pain and disability following a whiplash injury by combining contemporary measures of physical function together with established psychological and pain-related predictive factors.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A prospective observational study will recruit 150 consecutive eligible patients experiencing whiplash-related symptoms, admitted to a private physiotherapy clinic in Spain within 15 days of their whiplash injury. Poor outcome will be measured using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), defined as an NDI score of 30% or greater at 6 months post injury. Candidate predictors, including demographic characteristics, injury characteristics, pain characteristics, self-reported psychosocial factors and physical factors, will be collected at baseline (within 15 days of inception). Regression analyses will be performed to identify factors that are associated with persistent neck pain and disability over the study period.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The project has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the province of Malaga, Spain (#30052019). The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Pain perception and processing in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a known risk factor for the development of chronic pain conditions, and almost 1 in 5 individuals with chronic pain fulfills the criteria for PTSD. However, the relationship between PTSD and pain is poorly understood and studies on pain perception in patients with PTSD show inconsistent results suggesting that different sensory profiles exist among individuals with PTSD. Here, we (1) systematically summarize the current literature on experimentally evoked pain perception in patients with PTSD compared to subjects without PTSD, and (2) assess whether the nature of the traumatic event is associated with different patterns in pain perception. The main outcome measures were pain threshold, pain tolerance, and pain intensity ratings as well as measures of temporal summation of pain and conditioned pain modulation. A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and CINAHL identified 21 studies for the meta-analysis, including 422 individuals with PTSD and 496 PTSD-free controls. No main effect of PTSD on any outcome measure was found. However, stratification according to the nature of trauma revealed significant differences of small to medium effect sizes. Combat-related PTSD was associated with increased pain thresholds, whereas accident-related PTSD was associated with decreased pain thresholds. No clear relationship between PTSD and experimentally evoked pain perception exists. The type of trauma may affect pain thresholds differently indicating the presence of different subgroups with qualitative differences in pain processing.

How are pain and traumatic stress symptoms related in acute whiplash-associated disorders? An investigation of the role of pain-related fear in a daily diary study

Comorbidity of pain and posttraumatic stress disorder is well recognized, but the reason for this association is unclear. This study investigated the direction of the relationship between pain and traumatic stress and the role that pain-related fear plays, for patients with acute whiplash-associated disorder. Participants (n = 99) used an electronic diary to record hourly ratings of pain, traumatic stress, and fear of pain (FOP) symptoms over a day. Relationships between pain, traumatic stress, and pain-related fear symptoms were investigated through multilevel models including variables lagged by 1 hour. Traumatic stress was associated with previous pain, even after controlling for previous traumatic stress and current pain; current pain was not associated with previous traumatic stress. The relationship between traumatic stress and previous pain became negligible after controlling for FOP, except for traumatic stress symptoms of hyperarousal that were driven directly by pain. Overall, these results support a pain primacy model, and suggest that pain-related fear is important in the maintenance and development of comorbid pain and traumatic stress symptoms. They also confirm that traumatic stress symptoms of hyperarousal are central in this relationship. Differences between this study and others that reported mutual maintenance can be understood in terms of different stages of whiplash-associated disorder and different intervals between repeated measurements. Traumatic stress may affect pain over longer time intervals than measured in this study. Future research could explore how relationships between traumatic stress symptoms, pain, and FOP change over time, and whether previous experiences of traumatic stress influence these relationships.

Development and validation of a model predicting post-traumatic headache six months after a motor vehicle collision in adults

IMPORTANCE

The prognosis of post-traumatic headache is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a prognostic model to predict the presence of post-traumatic headache six months after a traffic collision in adults with incident post-traumatic headache.

DESIGN

Secondary analyses of adults with incident post-traumatic headache injured in traffic collisions between November 1997 and December 1999 in Saskatchewan, Canada (development cohort); and between January 2004 and January 2005 in Sweden (validation cohort).

SETTING

The Saskatchewan cohort (development) was population-based (N = 4162). The Swedish cohort (validation) (N = 379) were claimants from two insurance companies covering 20 % of cars driven in Sweden in 2004.

PARTICIPANTS

All adults injured in traffic collisions who completed a baseline questionnaire within 30 days of collision. Excluded were those hospitalized >2 days, lost consciousness >30 min, or reported headache <3/10 on the numerical rating scale. Follow-up rates for both cohorts were approximately 80 %.

PREDICTORS

Baseline sociodemographic, pre-injury, and injury factors.

OUTCOME

Self-reported headache pain intensity ≥3 (numerical rating scale) six months after injury.

RESULTS

Both cohorts were predominantly female (69.7 % in Saskatchewan, 65.2 % in Sweden), with median ages 35.9 years (Saskatchewan), and 38.0 years (Sweden). Predictors were age, work status, headache pain intensity, symptoms in arms or hands, dizziness or unsteadiness, stiffness in neck, pre-existing headache, and lower recovery expectations. With a positive score (i.e., ≥0.75 probability), the model can rule in the presence of post-traumatic headache at six months (development: specificity = 99.8 %, 95 % CI 99.5 %-99.9 %; sensitivity = 1.6 %, 95 % CI 1.0 %-2.6 %; positive likelihood ratio (LR+) = 8.0, 95 % CI 2.7-24.1; negative likelihood ratio (LR-) = 1.0, 95 % CI 1.0-1.0; validation: specificity = 95.5 %, 95 % CI 91.1 %-97.8 %; sensitivity = 27.2 %, 95 % CI 20.4 %-35.2 %); LR+ = 6.0, 95 % CI 2.8-13.2; LR- = 0.8, 95 % CI 0.7-0.8).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Clinicians can collect patient information on the eight predictors of our model to identify patients that will report ongoing post-traumatic headache six months after a traffic collision. Future research should focus on selecting patients at high risk of poor outcomes (using our model) for inclusion in intervention studies, and determining effective interventions for these patients.

Relationships Between Context, Process, and Outcome Indicators to Assess Quality of Physiotherapy Care in Patients with Whiplash-Associated Disorders: Applying Donabedian's Model of Care

BACKGROUND

Quality indicators (QIs) are measurable elements of practice performance and may relate to context, process, outcome and structure. A valid set of QIs have been developed, reflecting the clinical reasoning used in primary care physiotherapy for patients with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). Donabedian's model postulates relationships between the constructs of quality of care, acting in a virtuous circle.

AIM

To explore the relative strengths of the relationships between context, process, and outcome indicators in the assessment of primary care physiotherapy in patients with WAD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data on WAD patients (N=810) were collected over a period of 16 years in primary care physiotherapy practices by means of patients records. This routinely collected dataset (RCD-WAD) was classified in context, process, and outcome variables and analyzed retrospectively. Clinically relevant variables were selected based on expert consensus. Associations were expressed, using zero-order, as Spearman rank correlation coefficients (criterion: rs >0.25 [minimum: fair]; α-value = 0.05).

RESULTS

In round 1, 62 of 85 (72.9%) variables were selected by an expert panel as relevant for clinical reasoning; in round 2, 34 of 62 (54.8%) (context variables 9 of 18 [50.0%]; process variables 18 of 34 [52.9]; outcome variables 8 of 10 [90.0%]) as highly relevant. Associations between the selected context and process variables ranged from 0.27 to 0.53 (p≤0.00), between selected context and outcome variables from 0.26 to 0.55 (p≤0.00), and between selected process and outcome variables from 0.29 to 0.59 (p≤0.00). Moderate associations (rs >0.50; p≤0.00) were found between "pain coping" and "fear avoidance" as process variables, and "pain intensity" and "functioning" as outcome variables.

CONCLUSION

The identified associations between selected context, process, and outcome variables were fair to moderate. Ongoing work may clarify some of these associations and provide guidance to physiotherapists on how best to improve the quality of clinical reasoning in terms of relationships between context, process, and outcome in the management of patients with WAD.

Clinical Characteristics and Patient-Reported Outcomes of Primary Care Physiotherapy in Patients with Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Longitudinal Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Whiplash-associated disorders (WADs) constitute a state of health characterized by a wide diversity of symptoms as a result of impairments of functions, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) seem appropriate when describing and evaluating the health status of patients with WAD.

AIM

To measure the use of PROMs and PROs as quality indicators in clinical reasoning, and to analyze and evaluate pre- and post-treatment 'pain intensity' and 'functioning', and for 'perceived improvement' in patients with WAD in primary care physiotherapy practice by year of referral, with the phase after accident and prognostic health profile embedded in the clinical reasoning process.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were collected over a period of 10 years. Pain intensity, functioning, and perceived improvement were measured using the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain (VAS-P), the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the Global Perceived Effect scale (GPE). Pre- and post-treatment mean differences were tested for statistical significance and compared to minimal clinically important differences (MCID). Effect sizes were expressed as Cohen's d. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to explore independent associations of year of referral, phase after the accident, and the patient's prognostic health profile with post-treatment pain intensity and functioning.

RESULTS

A consecutive sample of 523 patients was included. Pre- and post-treatment mean differences on VAS-P and NDI were statistically significant (P<0.000) and clinically relevant, with 'large' effect sizes for pain intensity and functioning. MCIDs were achieved by 80% for VAS-P and for 60% for NDI. Year of referral and phase after the accident were independently associated with worse post-treatment functioning. About half of the patients (n=241 [46.1%]) perceived themselves as improved.

CONCLUSION

The PROMs and PROs pain intensity, functioning and perceived improvement were integrated as quality indicators in the physiotherapy clinical reasoning process for patients with WAD. Significant differences in pain intensity and functioning were found but were unrelated to year of referral, phase after whiplash-related injury or prognostic health profile. The MCID VAS-P scores did not differ depending on experienced pain.

Recurrent neck pain patients exhibit altered joint motion pattern during cervical flexion and extension movements

BACKGROUND

Impaired sensorimotor ability has been demonstrated in recurrent neck pain patients. It is however not clear if cervical joint motion and pressure pain sensitivity in recurrent neck pain patients are different from asymptomatic controls.

METHODS

Cervical flexion and extension motions were examined by video-fluoroscopy and pressure pain thresholds were assessed bilaterally over C2/C3, C5/C6 facet joints and right tibialis anterior in eighteen recurrent neck pain patients and eighteen healthy subjects. Individual joint motion was analyzed by dividing fluoroscopic videos into 10 epochs. The motion opposite to the primary direction (anti-directional motion) and motion along with the primary direction (pro-directional motion) of each joint were extracted across epochs. Total joint motion was the sum of anti-directional and pro-directional motions. Joint motion variability was represented by the variance of joint motions across epochs.

FINDINGS

Compared to controls, recurrent neck pain patients showed: 1) decreased anti-directional motion at C2/C3 and C3/C4 (P < 0.05) and increased anti-directional motion at C5/C6 and C6/C7 (P < 0.05) during extension motion. 2) Increased overall anti-direction motion during flexion motion (P < 0.05). 3) Lower joint motion variability at C3/C4 during extension motion (P < 0.05).

INTERPRETATION

Recurrent neck pain patients showed a redistribution of anti-directional motion between the middle cervical spine and the lower cervical spine during cervical extension and increased overall anti-directional motion during cervical flexion compared with healthy controls. The anti-directional motion was more sensitive to neck pain compared to other cervical joint motion parameters in the present study.