Patient education for neck pain with or without radiculopathy

Therapeutic Patient Education as Part of the Physiotherapy Management of Adults with Headache: A Scoping Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Physiotherapy interventions for headache mostly include exercise and manual therapy. Yet, the complex nature of headache, sometimes characterized by symptoms of facilitated central pain mechanisms, demands an individualized approach in which therapeutic patient education could be supportive. This scoping review aimed to summarize the position of therapeutic patient education within the physiotherapy management of adults with headache. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. The search-query comprised terminology relating to "headache", "education", and "physiotherapy". Eligibility criteria were: adults with headache, interventions including education within the domain of physiotherapy, reviews, clinical trials, cohort, case report, case-control studies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Eleven publications were included from the 281 retrieved publications. These publications were clinical trials (n = 4), reviews (n = 4), case-reports (n = 2), and a guideline (n = 1). Type of headaches studied were migraine (n = 3), post-traumatic headache (n = 2), tension-type headache (n = 2), cervicogenic headache (n = 1), primary headaches (n = 1), chronic daily headache (n = 1), and mixed migraine-cervicogenic headache (n = 1). Education seems an umbrella-term for postural education, lifestyle advice, and pain education. Three themes emerged across the publications: handling headache triggers (migraine, post-traumatic headache), promoting active lifestyle (post-traumatic headache, chronic daily headache, migraine), evaluating posture (post-traumatic headache, chronic daily headache, tension-type headache, cervicogenic headache). All publications recommended education in the management of headache. Only one (of the 11 included) publication described the educational program and determined its efficacy. Based on this scoping review, therapeutic patient education seems supported within physiotherapy management of headache. However, it is unclear how such education is tailored to the specific needs of the individual, the headache subtype, or when it should be added to physiotherapy management of headache.

Clinical validation of grouping conservative treatments in neck pain for use in a network meta-analysis: a Delphi consensus study

BACKGROUND

A network meta-analysis aims to help clinicians make clinical decisions on the most effective treatment for a certain condition. Neck pain is multifactorial, with various classification systems and treatment options. Classifying patients and grouping interventions in clinically relevant treatment nodes for a NMA is essential, but this process is poorly defined.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim is to obtain consensus among experts on neck pain classifications and the grouping of interventions into nodes for a future network meta-analysis.

DESIGN

A Delphi consensus study involving neck pain experts worldwide.

METHODS

We invited authors of neck pain clinical practice guidelines published from 2014 onwards. The Delphi baseline questionnaire was developed based on the findings of a scoping review, including four items on classifications and 19 nodes. Participants were asked to record their level of agreement on a seven-point Likert scale or using Yes/No/Not sure answer options for the various statements. We used descriptive analysis to summarise the responses on each statement with content analysis of the free-text comments.

RESULTS

In total, 18/80 experts (22.5%) agreed to participate in one or more Delphi rounds. We needed three rounds to reach consensus for two classification of neck pain: one based on aetiology and one on duration. In addition, we also reached consensus on the grouping of interventions, including a definition of each node, with the number of nodes reduced to 17.

CONCLUSION

With this consensus we clinically validated two neck pain classifications and grouped conservative treatments into 17 well-defined and clinically relevant nodes.

Effectiveness of self-applied acupressure for cervical pain of benign origin (EDIDO-CUH): a randomized controlled clinical trial

Background:

Cervical pain is a problem with a high prevalence of ~13% of the population, and is more common in women (16.5%). The most affected age group is 65–74 years. Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of self-applied acupressure for decreasing benign-origin cervical pain, under the supervision of a health professional and in combination with usual treatment, as well as to examine its impact on the patient’s self-perceived health condition and their opinion of the technique.

Methods:

Pragmatic, multicenter, controlled clinical trial randomized by healthcare center. A total of 160 patients with benign-origin cervical pain between 18 and 65 years of age who attended primary care were included from 12 healthcare centers in the autonomous community of Madrid by consecutive sampling, and randomly assigned to a control or intervention group. The main outcome variable was pain intensity measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS) and secondary variables were self-perceived quality of life (EuroQol-5D utility index) and functional ability (neck disability index). An explanative model of generalized estimating equations was built taking into account the lack of independence among observations. The analysis was performed over 6 months.

Results:

In total, 150 patients completed the study. Mean age was 45 years (SD: 10.7), 86.7% were women, 86.2% were currently employed, and 57.9% did not perform any physical exercise. Average days experiencing pain was 32.9 (SD: 2.8) and 80% were undergoing previous pharmacological treatment. The quality of life utility index after 3 months was 1.6 points (95% CI: 0.54–2.71) higher in the intervention group. The pain score on the VAS was 0.16 points (95% CI: 0.80–0.48) lower in the intervention group. The health professional explained 10.4% of the reduction in pain observed on the VAS throughout the medical visits.

Conclusion:

Acupressure applied in addition to usual practice appeared to improve cervical pain in the long term. The effectiveness of this technique was partially explained by the health professional that trained the participants on technique application.

Trial registration number::

NCT01855893

Preoperative pain neuroscience education for shoulder surgery: A case series

Background

Central sensitisation, in addition to high levels of fear-avoidance and pain catastrophisation may exist in a subgroup of patients with shoulder pain. Pain neuroscience education (PNE) has been shown to positively influence sensitivity of the nervous system, as well as reduce fear and catastrophisation prior to lumbar and total knee surgery. To date, no study has examined the application of PNE prior to shoulder surgery.

Objectives

This study examined the response to preoperative PNE in patients preparing for shoulder surgery.

Method

An exploratory pre–post case series was conducted. Twelve patients scheduled for surgery completed various pre-education measurements including shoulder pain, fear-avoidance, pain catastrophisation, beliefs and expectations regarding surgery, active shoulder flexion and pressure pain thresholds for the involved and uninvolved shoulder and the dominant-sided knee. Patients underwent a standard 30-min, one-on-one PNE session with a physiotherapist prior to surgery.

Results

Following education, all measures improved with some failing to reach significance: self-reported pain (p = 0.125), pain catastrophisation (p = 0.250) and pain pressure threshold of the uninvolved shoulder (p = 0.68) and knee (p = 0.097). Fear-avoidance (p = 0.013), active shoulder flexion (p = 0.013) and pain pressure threshold for the involved shoulder (p = 0.004) significantly improved.

Conclusion

A small patient group improved beyond minimal detectable change and/or minimal clinical important difference after education. No significant shifts of the preoperative beliefs occurred after education.

Clinical implications

Preoperative PNE may be beneficial to a subgroup of patients scheduled for shoulder surgery.

Improving the self-management of chronic pain: COping with persistent Pain, Effectiveness Research in Self-management (COPERS)

Background

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is a common problem that is difficult to treat. Self-management support interventions may help people to manage this condition better; however, there is limited evidence showing that they improve clinical outcomes. Our overarching research question was ‘Does a self-management support programme improve outcomes for people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain?’.

Aim

To develop, evaluate and test the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a theoretically grounded self-management support intervention for people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Methods

In phase 1 we carried out two systematic reviews to synthesise the evidence base for self-management course content and delivery styles likely to help those with chronic pain. We also considered the psychological theories that might underpin behaviour change and pain management principles. Informed by these data we developed the Coping with persistent Pain, Evaluation Research in Self-management (COPERS) intervention, a group intervention delivered over 3 days with a top-up session after 2 weeks. It was led by two trained facilitators: a health-care professional and a layperson with experience of chronic pain. To ensure that we measured the most appropriate outcomes we reviewed the literature on potential outcome domains and measures and consulted widely with patients, tutors and experts. In a feasibility study we demonstrated that we could deliver the COPERS intervention in English and, to increase the generalisability of our findings, also in Sylheti for the Bangladeshi community. In phase 2 we ran a randomised controlled trial to test the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adding the COPERS intervention to a best usual care package (usual care plus a relaxation CD and a pain toolkit leaflet). We recruited adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain largely from primary care and musculoskeletal physiotherapy services in two localities: east London and Coventry/Warwickshire. We collected follow-up data at 12 weeks (self-efficacy only) and 6 and 12 months. Our primary outcome was pain-related disability (Chronic Pain Grade disability subscale) at 12 months. We also measured costs, health utility (European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions), anxiety, depression [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)], coping, pain acceptance and social integration. Data on the use of NHS services by participants were extracted from NHS electronic records.

Results

We recruited 703 participants with a mean age of 60 years (range 19–94 years); 81% were white and 67% were female. Depression and anxiety symptoms were common, with mean HADS depression and anxiety scores of 7.4 [standard deviation (SD) 4.1] and 9.2 (SD 4.6), respectively. Intervention participants received 85% of the course content. At 12 months there was no difference between treatment groups in our primary outcome of pain-related disability [difference –1.0 intervention vs. control, 95% confidence interval (CI) –4.9 to 3.0]. However, self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, pain acceptance and social integration all improved more in the intervention group at 6 months. At 1 year these differences remained for depression (–0.7, 95% CI –1.2 to –0.2) and social integration (0.8, 95% CI, 0.4 to 1.2). The COPERS intervention had a high probability (87%) of being cost-effective compared with usual care at a threshold of £30,000 per quality-adjusted life-year.

Conclusions

Although the COPERS intervention did not affect our primary outcome of pain-related disability, it improved psychological well-being and is likely to be cost-effective according to current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence criteria. The COPERS intervention could be used as a substitute for less well-evidenced (and more expensive) pain self-management programmes. Effective interventions to improve hard outcomes in chronic pain patients, such as disability, are still needed.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN22714229.

Funding

The project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and will be published in full inProgramme Grants for Applied Research; Vol. 4, No. 14. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Clinical practice in line with evidence? A survey among primary care physiotherapists in western Sweden

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Evidence-based practice is becoming increasingly important in primary care physiotherapy. Clinical practice needs to reflect current best evidence and be concordant with evidence-based clinical guidelines. There is limited knowledge about therapeutic interventions used in primary care physiotherapy in Sweden. The objectives were to examine preferred treatment interventions reported by publicly employed physiotherapists in primary care for three common musculoskeletal disorders (low back pain, neck pain and subacromial pain), the extent to which these interventions were supported by evidence, and associations with demographic variables.

METHODS

419 physiotherapists in primary care in western Sweden were surveyed using a validated web-based questionnaire.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 271 respondents (65%). Median number of interventions reported was 7 (range 1-16). The most common treatment interventions across the three conditions were advice on posture (reported by 82-94%), advice to stay active (86-92%), and different types of exercise (65-92%). Most of these interventions were supported by evidence. However, interventions with insufficient evidence, such as advice on posture, TENS and aquatic exercise, were also used by 29-96%. Modalities such as laser therapy and ultrasound were sparingly used (<5%), which is in line with evidence. For neck pain, use of evidence-based interventions was associated with gender and for subacromial pain, with work experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Advice and exercise therapy were the interventions most frequently reported across the three diagnoses, illustrating an active treatment strategy. While most reported interventions are supported by evidence, interventions with unclear or no evidence of effect were also used to a high extent.

Patient education for preventing diabetic foot ulceration

BACKGROUND

Ulceration of the feet, which can result in loss of limbs and even death, is one of the major health problems for people with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of patient education on the prevention of foot ulcers in patients with diabetes mellitus.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched The Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 03 September 2014); The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2014, Issue 8).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated educational programmes for preventing foot ulcers in people with diabetes mellitus.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently undertook data extraction and assessment of risk of bias. Primary end points were foot ulceration or ulcer recurrence and amputation.

MAIN RESULTS

Of the 12 RCTs included, the effect of patient education on primary end points was reported in only five. Pooling of outcome data was precluded by marked, mainly clinical, heterogeneity. One of the RCTs showed reduced incidence of foot ulceration (risk ratio (RR) 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14 to 0.66) and amputation (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.76) during one-year follow-up of diabetes patients at high risk of foot ulceration after a one-hour group education session. However, one similar study, with lower risk of bias, did not confirm this finding (RR amputation 0.98, 95% CI 0.41 to 2.34; RR ulceration 1.00, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.44). Three other studies, also did not demonstrate any effect of education on the primary end points, but were most likely underpowered. Patients' foot care knowledge was improved in the short term in five of eight RCTs in which this outcome was assessed, as was patients' self-reported self-care behaviour in the short term in seven of nine RCTs. Callus, nail problems and fungal infections improved in only one of five RCTs. Only one of the included RCTs was at low risk of bias.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

In some trials, foot care knowledge and self reported patient behaviour seem to be positively influenced by education in the short term. Yet, based on the only two sufficiently powered studies reporting the effect of patient education on primary end points, we conclude that there is insufficient robust evidence that limited patient education alone is effective in achieving clinically relevant reductions in ulcer and amputation incidence.

Psychological Care, Patient Education, Orthotics, Ergonomics and Prevention Strategies for Neck Pain: An Systematic Overview Update as Part of the ICON Project

OBJECTIVES

To conduct an overview on psychological interventions, orthoses, patient education, ergonomics, and 1⁰/2⁰ neck pain prevention for adults with acute-chronic neck pain.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Computerized databases and grey literature were searched (2006-2012).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on pain, function/disability, global perceived effect, quality-of-life and patient satisfaction were retrieved.

DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS

Two independent authors selected articles, assessed risk of bias using AMSTAR tool and extracted data. The GRADE tool was used to evaluate the body of evidence and an external panel to provide critical review.

MAIN RESULTS

We retrieved 30 reviews (5-9 AMSTAR score) reporting on 75 RCTs with the following moderate GRADE evidence. For acute whiplash associated disorder (WAD), an education video in emergency rooms (1RCT, 405participants] favoured pain reduction at long-term follow-up thus helping 1 in 23 people [Standard Mean Difference: -0.44(95%CI: -0.66 to -0.23)). Use of a soft collar (2RCTs, 1278participants) was not beneficial in the long-term. For chronic neck pain, a mind-body intervention (2RCTs, 1 meta-analysis, 191participants) improved short-term pain/function in 1 of 4 or 6 participants. In workers, 2-minutes of daily scapula-thoracic endurance training (1RCT, 127participants) over 10 weeks was beneficial in 1 of 4 participants. A number of psychosocial interventions, workplace interventions, collar use and self-management educational strategies were not beneficial.

REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS

Moderate evidence exists for quantifying beneficial and non-beneficial effects of a limited number of interventions for acute WAD and chronic neck pain. Larger trials with more rigorous controls need to target promising interventions.

An educational and physical program to reduce headache, neck/shoulder pain in a working community: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Noninvasive physical management is often prescribed for headache and neck pain. Systematic reviews, however, indicate that the evidence of its efficacy is limited. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace educational and physical program in reducing headache and neck/shoulder pain.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Cluster-randomized controlled trial. All municipal workers of the City of Turin, Italy, were invited to participate. Those who agreed were randomly assigned, according to their departments, to the intervention group (IG) or to the control group and were given diaries for the daily recording of pain episodes for 1 month (baseline). Subsequently, only the IG (119 departments, 923 workers) began the physical and educational program, whereas the control group (117 departments, 990 workers) did not receive any intervention. All participants were again given diaries for the daily recording of pain episodes after 6 months of intervention. The primary outcome was the change in the frequency of headache (expressed as the proportion of subjects with a ≥50% reduction of frequency; responder rate); among the secondary outcomes there were the absolute reduction of the number of days per month with headache and neck/shoulder pain. Differences between the two groups were evaluated using mixed-effect regression models. The IG showed a higher responder rate [risk ratio, 95% confidence interval (CI)] for headache (1.58; 1.28 to 1.92) and for neck/shoulder pain (1.53; 1.27 to 1.82), and a larger reduction of the days per month (95% CI) with headache (-1.72; -2.40 to -1.04) and with neck/shoulder pain (-2.51; -3.56 to -1.47).

CONCLUSIONS

The program effectively reduced headache and neck/shoulder pain in a large working community and appears to be easily transferable to primary-care settings. Further trials are needed to investigate the program effectiveness in a clinical setting, for highly selected patients suffering from specific headache types.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00551980.

Is appreciation of written education about pain neurophysiology related to changes in illness perceptions and health status in patients with fibromyalgia?

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the appreciation of written education about pain neurophysiology in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and its effects on illness perceptions and perceived health status.

METHODS

A booklet explaining pain neurophysiology was sent to participants with FM. Appreciation was assessed with 10 questions addressing relevance (0-30) and reassurance (0-30). Illness perceptions, catastrophizing and health status were measured with the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) at baseline (T0), after a 2-week control period (T1) and 6 weeks after the intervention (T2).

RESULTS

Forty-one patients participated. Mean (SD) scores for relevance and reassurance were 21.6 (5.6) and 18.7 (5.7), respectively. Only illness coherence, emotional representations, pain and fatigue changed significantly between T0 and T2. Correlations between appreciation and changes in outcomes ranged between r=0.00 and r=0.34.

CONCLUSIONS

Although a majority of subjects appreciated the written information, it did not have clinically relevant effects on illness perceptions, catastrophizing or impact of FM on daily life.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Written education about pain neurophysiology is inadequate toward changing illness perceptions, catastrophizing or perceived health status of participants with FM; education should be incorporated into a broader multidisciplinary self-management program.