Rehabilitation program for traumatic chronic cervical pain associated with unsteadiness: a single case study

Long-term effect of direction-movement control training on female patients with chronic neck pain

BACKGROUND

Treatment of movement faults in the neck is known as an important factor in treatment of chronic neck pain. Along with the identification of site and direction of the faults, direction-movement control intervention retrains the control of the movement faults.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to investigate long-term effects of a direction-movement control training on pain, disability, head repositioning accuracy, function, cervical flexor endurance, and range of motion in female patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty women (36.5 ± 5.7 years) with chronic nonspecific neck pain were randomly allocated into two groups, i.e., an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group performed the direction-movement control training for 30 min/day, three days per week for six months. All subjects were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), range of motion (TOM), progressive iso-inertial lifting evaluation (PILE), neck disability Index (NDI), helmet attached with laser pointer using for head repositioning accuracy (HRA), and Trott's test (deep neck flexor endurance), in pre- and six-months post-treatment intervention.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed for the pain, neck disability Index, function endurance, head repositioning accuracy, range of motion, and cervical flexor endurance in the experimental group compared to that of control group.

CONCLUSION

Direction-movement control training is likely to be an effective training program to enhance body functionality through improvement of pain, function, endurance, head repositioning accuracy, range of motion, and cervical flexor endurance. Due to the high reported effect size for direction-movement control exercises, the application of the training is suggested as a supplementary method to improve chronic nonspecific neck pain in females.

Methodology for astronaut reconditioning research

Space medicine offers some unique challenges, especially in terms of research methodology. A specific challenge for astronaut reconditioning involves identification of what aspects of terrestrial research methodology hold and which require modification. This paper reviews this area and presents appropriate solutions where possible. It is concluded that spaceflight rehabilitation research should remain question/problem driven and is broadly similar to the terrestrial equivalent on small populations, such as rare diseases and various sports. Astronauts and Medical Operations personnel should be involved at all levels to ensure feasibility of research protocols. There is room for creative and hybrid methodology but careful systematic observation is likely to be more achievable and fruitful than complex trial based comparisons. Multi-space agency collaboration will be critical to pool data from small groups of astronauts with the accepted use of standardised outcome measures across all agencies. Systematic reviews will be an essential component. Most limitations relate to the inherent small sample size available for human spaceflight research. Early adoption of a co-operative model for spaceflight rehabilitation research is therefore advised.

Does postural sway change in association with manual therapeutic interventions? A review of the literature

STUDY DESIGN

Literature Review

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this literature review was to determine if postural sway changes in association with manual therapeutic interventions and to investigate whether any changes occur in healthy individuals or in association with pain intensity.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Improving postural stability has been proposed as a goal of manual therapeutic interventions. So far, no literature review has addressed whether there is supportive evidence for this and if so, what factors may be associated or causative for observed sway alterations.

SEARCH METHODS

Seven online databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and the Cochrane library) were systematically searched followed by a manual search of the retrieved papers.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Studies comparing postural sway derived from bipedal force plate measurements in association with a manual therapeutic intervention, ideally compared to a control group.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts for relevance, conducted the data extraction and the risk of bias assessment which was conducted using the RTI item bank. A descriptive analysis was conducted as the heterogeneous study designs prevented pooling of data.

RESULTS

Nine studies of varying methodological quality met the inclusion criteria. No direct comparison of data across the studies was possible. There was no evidence that manual interventions lead to a change in postural sway in healthy individuals regardless of the body regions addressed by the intervention. There was some indication that postural sway may change at follow-up measurements in pain sufferers; however, this may be due to variations in pain intensity rather than resulting from the intervention itself.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no conclusive scientific evidence that manual therapeutic interventions may exhibit any immediate or long-term effect on COP excursions. Any changes in sway may be attributable to decreases in pain intensity.