Joshua A. Cleland

Psychometric Properties of the Neck Disability Index and Numeric Pain Rating Scale in Patients With Mechanical Neck Pain

OBJECTIVE To examine the psychometric properties including test-retest reliability, construct validity, and minimum levels of detectable and clinically important change for the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain in a cohort of patients with neck pain. DESIGN Single-group repeated-measures design. SETTING Outpatient physical therapy (PT) clinics. PARTICIPANTS Patients (N=137) presenting to PT with a primary report of neck pain. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES All patients completed the NDI and the NRS at the baseline examination and at a follow-up. At the time of the follow-up, all patients also completed the global rating of change, which was used to dichotomize patients as improved or stable. Baseline and follow-up scores were used to determine the test-retest reliability, construct validity, and minimal levels of detectable and clinically important change for both the NDI and NRS. RESULTS Test-retest reliability was calculated using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (NDI ICC=.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], .25-.67; NRS ICC=.76; 95% CI, .51-.87). The area under the curve was .83 (95% CI, .75-.90) for the NDI score and .85 (95% CI, .78-.93) for the NRS score for determining between stable and improved patients. Thresholds for the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for the NDI were 19-percentage points and 1.3 for the NRS. CONCLUSIONS Both the NDI and NRS exhibit fair to moderate test-retest reliability in patients with mechanical neck pain. Both instruments also showed adequate responsiveness in this patient population. However, the MCID required to be certain that the change in scores has surpassed a level that could be contributed to measurement error for the NDI was twice that which has previously been reported. Therefore the ongoing analyses of the properties of the NDI in a patient population with neck pain are warranted.

Psychometric properties of the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia in patients with neck pain.

Cleland JA, Fritz JM, Childs JD: Psychometric properties of the fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire and Tampa scale of kinesiophobia in patients with neck pain. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2008;87:109–117. Objective:To examine selected psychometric properties of these instruments in a cohort of patients with mechanical neck pain. Design:Cohort design of 78 subjects completing self-report measures of pain, disability, and the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire Work (FABQW) and Physical Activity (FABQPA) subscales, as well as the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) at baseline and a 2-day follow-up. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to calculate test–retest reliability, and Cronbachs alpha was used to calculate internal consistency. Concurrent validity was analyzed between the FABQPA, FABQW, TSK, pain, and disability using Pearson correlation coefficients and hierarchical linear regression modeling. Results:The FABQPA and FABQW subscales exhibited substantial test–retest reliability, whereas the TSK exhibited moderate reliability. Internal consistency was high for all measures. The FABQW subscale was the only measure that significantly contributed to the regression model for both pain and disability in this group of patients with neck pain. Conclusions:Whereas the reliability and internal consistency of all measures ranged between moderate and substantial, the results of this study suggest weaker relationships between measures of fear and avoidance beliefs and pain/disability among patients with mechanical neck pain than has been reported among patients with low-back pain.

IMMEDIATE HYPOALGESIC AND MOTOR EFFECTS AFTER A SINGLE CERVICAL SPINE MANIPULATION IN SUBJECTS WITH LATERAL EPICONDYLALGIA

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to investigate the immediate effects of a single cervical spine manipulation and a manual contact intervention (MCI) on pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and thermal pain thresholds over the elbow region and pain-free grip (PFG) force in patients with lateral epicondylalgia (LE). METHODS A repeated measures, crossover, single-blinded randomized study was done. Ten patients with LE (5 female) aged from 30 to 49 years (mean, 42; SD, 6 years) participated in this study. Subjects attended 2 experimental sessions on 2 separate days at least 48 hours apart. At each session, participants received either a manipulative intervention or MCI assigned in a random fashion. Pressure pain threshold and hot and cold pain thresholds (HPT and CPT, respectively) over the lateral epicondyle of both elbows was assessed preintervention and 5 minutes postintervention by an examiner blinded to the treatment allocation of the patients. In addition, PFG on the affected arm and maximum grip force on the unaffected side were also assessed. A 3-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with time (pre-post) and side (ipsilateral, contralateral to the intervention) as within-subjects variable and intervention (manipulation or MCI) as between-subjects variable was used to evaluate changes in PPT, HPT, CPT, or PFG. RESULTS The ANOVA detected a significant effect for time (F = 37.2, P < .001) and a significant interaction between intervention and time (F = 25.1, P < .001) for PPT levels. Post hoc revealed that the manipulative intervention produced a greater increase of PPT in both sides when compared with MCI (P < .001). The ANOVA did not detect significant effects for time (F = 2.7, P > .2), intervention (F = 2.8, P > .2), or side (F = 0.9, P > .4) for HPT. Again, no significant effects for time (F = 0.8, P > .4), side (F = 0.6, P > .4), or intervention (F = 0.8, P > .5) was found for CPT. Finally, a significant interaction between intervention and time (F = 9.4, P = .004) and between time * side * intervention (F = 18.2, P < .001) was found for grip force. Post hoc analysis revealed that the cervical manipulation produced an increase of PFG on the affected side as compared with the MCI (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The application of a manipulation at the cervical spine produced an immediate bilateral increase in PPT in patients with LE. No significant changes for HPT and CPT were found. Finally, cervical manipulation increased PFG on the affected side, but not the maximum grip force on the unaffected arm. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required to examine the effects of thrust manipulation on PPT, HPT, CPT, or PFG.

Inclusion of thoracic spine thrust manipulation into an electro-therapy/thermal program for the management of patients with acute mechanical neck pain: A randomized clinical trial

Our aim was to examine the effects of a seated thoracic spine distraction thrust manipulation included in an electrotherapy/thermal program on pain, disability, and cervical range of motion in patients with acute neck pain. This randomized controlled trial included 45 patients (20 males, 25 females) between 23 and 44 years of age presenting with acute neck pain. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: an experimental group which received a thoracic manipulation, and a control group which did not receive the manipulative procedure. Both groups received an electrotherapy program consisting of 6 sessions of TENS (frequency 100Hz; 20min), superficial thermo-therapy (15min) and soft tissue massage. The experimental group also received a thoracic manipulation once a week for 3 consecutive weeks. Outcome measures included neck pain (numerical pain rate scale; NPRS), level of disability (Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire; NPQ) and neck mobility. These outcomes were assessed at baseline and 1 week after discharge. A 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA with group as between-subject variable and time as within-subject variable was used. Patients receiving thoracic manipulation experienced greater reductions in both neck pain, with between-group difference of 2.3 (95% CI 2-2.7) points on a 11-NPRS, and perceived disability with between-group differences 8.5 (95% CI 7.2-9.8) points. Further, patients receiving thoracic manipulation experienced greater increases in all cervical motions with between-group differences of 10.6 degrees (95% CI 8.8-12.5 degrees) for flexion; 9.9 degrees (95% CI 8.1-11.7 degrees) for extension; 9.5 degrees (95% CI 7.6-11.4 degrees) for right lateral-flexion; 8 degrees (95% CI 6.2-9.8 degrees) for left lateral-flexion; 9.6 degrees (95% CI 7.7-11.6 degrees) for right rotation; and 8.4 degrees (95% CI 6.5-10.3 degrees) for left rotation. We found that the inclusion of a thoracic manipulation into an electrotherapy/thermal program was effective in reducing neck pain and disability, and in increasing active cervical mobility in patients with acute neck pain.

CHANGES IN PRESSURE PAIN THRESHOLDS OVER C5-C6 ZYGAPOPHYSEAL JOINT AFTER A CERVICOTHORACIC JUNCTION MANIPULATION IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS

OBJECTIVE This study examines if C7-T1 manipulation results in changes in pressure pain thresholds (PPT) over bilateral C5-C6 zygapophyseal joints in asymptomatic subjects. METHODS Thirty subjects, 13 men and 17 women, without a current history of neck, shoulder, or upper extremity pain participated. Participants were randomly divided into 3 groups: experimental dominant group, subjects who received the manipulative thrust directed at the right side of the C7-T1 joint; experimental nondominant group, those who received the thrust on the left side of the C7-T1 joint; and a placebo group, those who received a sham-manual procedure. The outcome measure was the PPT on both right and left C5-C5 zygapophyseal joints, which was assessed at preintervention and 5 minutes postintervention by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation of the subject. A 3-way repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to evaluate changes in PPT. RESULTS The analysis of covariance revealed time x group (F = 32.3; P < .001), time x side (F = 4.9; P < .05), time x sex (F = 7.93; P < .01), and time x group x sex (F = 7.606; P < .001) interactions. Post hoc analyses found that (a) both experimental groups showed greater improvements in PPT than the placebo group (P < .05), without significant differences between them (P > .6); (b) the right side had greater increases in PPT in both experimental groups (P < .05), but not within the placebo group (P > .8); (c) men experienced greater increases in PPT levels than women, particularly in the experimental nondominant group (P < .01). Within-group effect sizes were large for both experimental groups (d > 1), but small for the placebo condition (d < 0.2). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a C7-T1 manipulation induced changes in PPT in both right and left C5-C6 zygapophyseal joints in healthy subjects.

Immediate Effects of Atlanto-Occipital Joint Manipulation on Active Mouth Opening and Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Women With Mechanical Neck Pain

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a spinal thrust manipulation directed to the upper cervical segments (atlanto-occipital joint) on active mouth opening and pressure pain sensitivity in a trigeminal nerve innervated region (sphenoid bone) in women with mechanical neck pain. METHODS Thirty-seven women, ages 21 to 50 years old (mean age, 35 +/- 8 years) with mechanical neck pain were recruited for this study. Participants were randomly assigned into 1 of 2 groups as follows: an experimental group that received a spinal manipulation of the atlanto-occipital joint and a control group that received a manual contact placebo intervention. Outcomes collected were assessed pretreatment and 5 minutes posttreatment by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation and included active mouth opening and pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) over both sides of the sphenoid bone. A 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with time (pre-post) as the within subjects variable and group (control, experimental) as the between subjects variable was used to examine the effects of the intervention. The hypothesis of interest was group-time interaction. RESULTS The ANOVA showed a significant effect for time (F = 23.1; P < .001) and an interaction between group and time (F = 37.7; P < .001) for active mouth opening as follows: the experimental group showed a greater improvement when compared to the control group. A large positive within-group effect size (d > 1.5) for the experimental group, whereas a negative medium within-group effect size (d = -0.5) for the control group were identified. The ANOVA showed a significant interaction between group and time (F = 14.4; P < .001) for PPT levels at the sphenoid bone as follows: the experimental group showed a greater improvement when compared to the control group. A medium positive within-group effect size (d = -0.5) for the experimental group, whereas a negative medium within-group effect size (d = -0.5) for the control group was found. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the application of an atlantoaxial joint thrust manipulation resulted in an increase in active mouth opening and PPT over a trigeminal nerve distribution area (sphenoid bone) in women with mechanical neck pain.

Short-Term Effects of Manual Therapy on Heart Rate Variability, Mood State, and Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Patients With Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of head-neck massage on heart rate variability (HRV), mood states, and pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in patients with chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). METHODS Eleven patients (8 females), between 20 and 68 years old, with CTTH participated in this crossover study. Patients received either the experimental treatment (massage protocol) or a placebo intervention (detuned ultrasound). Holter electrocardiogram recordings (standard deviation of the normal-to-normal interval, square root of mean squared differences of successive NN intervals, index HRV, low-frequency component, and high-frequency component), PPT over both temporalis muscles, and Profile of Mood States questionnaire (tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, vigor, fatigue, confusion) were obtained preintervention, immediately after intervention, and 24 hours postintervention. Self-reported head pain was also collected preintervention and 24 hours postintervention. Separate analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were performed with each dependent variable. The hypothesis of interest was group x time interaction. RESULTS The ANCOVA showed a significant group x time interaction for index HRV (F = 4.5, P = .04), but not for standard deviation of the normal-to-normal interval (F = 1.1, P = .3), square root of mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (F = 0.9, P = .3), low-frequency component (F = 0.03, P = .8), or high-frequency component (F = 0.4, P = .5) domains. Pairwise comparisons found that after the manual therapy intervention, patients showed an increase in the index HRV (P = .01) domain, whereas no changes were found after the placebo intervention (P = .7). The ANCOVA also found a significant group x time interaction for tension-anxiety (F = 5.3, P = .03) and anger-hostility (F = 4.6, P = .04) subscales. Pairwise comparisons found that after the manual therapy intervention, patients showed a decrease in tension-anxiety (P = .002) and anger-hostility (P = .04) subscales, whereas no changes were found after the placebo intervention (P > .5 both subscales). No significant changes were found in PPT levels (right F = 0.3, P = .6, left F = 0.4, P = .5). A significant group x time interaction for pain (F = 4.8, P = .04) was identified. No influence of sex was found (F = 1.5, P = .3). Pairwise comparisons showed that head pain (numerical pain rating scale) decreased 24 hours after manual therapy (P < .05) but not after the placebo intervention (P = .9). CONCLUSIONS The application of a single session of manual therapy program produces an immediate increase of index HRV and a decrease in tension, anger status, and perceived pain in patients with CTTH.

Predictor variables for identifying patients with chronic tension-type headache who are likely to achieve short-term success with muscle trigger point therapy.

To date, no studies have investigated the predictive validity of variables from the initial examination to identify patients with tension-type headache pain who are likely to benefit from muscle trigger point (TrP) therapy. The purpose of this study was to develop a preliminary clinical prediction rule (CPR) to identify chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) patients who are likely to experience a successful response from TrP therapy. Consecutive patients with CTTH underwent a standardized examination and then received six sessions of TrP therapy over 3 weeks (two sessions per week). They were classified as having experienced a successful outcome at short-term (1 week after discharge) and 1-month follow-up based on a 50% reduction on at least one headache parameter (intensity, frequency or duration) and self-report perceived recovery. Potential predictor variables were entered into a stepwise logistic regression model to determine the most accurate set of variables for identifying treatment success. Data from 35 patients were included, of which 19 (55%) experienced a successful outcome. A CPR with four variables for short-term (headache duration < 8.5 h/ day, headache frequency < 5.5 days/week, bodily pain < 47 and vitality < 47.5) and a CPR with two variables for 1-month (headache frequency < 5.5 days/week and bodily pain < 47) follow-up were identified. At short-term follow-up, if three of four variables [positive likelihood ratio (LR) 3.4] were present, the chance of experiencing a successful outcome improved from 54% to 80%, and if all the variables (positive LR 5.9) were present, the probability of success was 87.4%. At 1-month follow-up, if one of two variables (positive LR 2.2) was present, the probability of success increased from 54% to 72%, and if both variables (positive LR 4.6) were present, the probability of success was 84.4%. The present CPR provides the potential to identify CTTH patients who are likely to experience short-term and 1-month follow-up success with a muscle TrP therapy approach. Future studies are necessary to validate the CPR.

Psychometric Properties of the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia in Patients With Shoulder Pain

OBJECTIVE To investigate the reliability and validity of 2 commonly used measures of pain related fear in patients with shoulder pain. DESIGN A preplanned secondary analysis of a prospective single-arm trial involving a repeated-measures design. SETTING Outpatient physical therapy clinics. PARTICIPANTS Patients (N=80) with a primary report of shoulder pain. INTERVENTION All patients completed the outcome measures at baseline and at follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Patients completed a modified Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ), the 11-item version of Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) at baseline and at a 48-hour follow-up. Patients were dichotomized as improved or stable at follow-up based on the Global Rating of Change. RESULTS Factor analysis indicated 3 stable factors for the FABQ and 1 stable factor for the TSK-11. Shoulder specific scoring for the FABQ and TSK-11 were used in subsequent analyses. Test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was substantial for the FABQ and the TSK-11. The FABQ correlated significantly with SPADI pain and disability scores, while the TSK-11 correlated significantly only with SPADI pain scores. The shoulder-specific FABQ-W (work beliefs subscale) was a better than chance predictor of missing days of work during the 48-hour study period. CONCLUSIONS The modified FABQ and TSK-11 may be appropriate for use in patients with shoulder pain. Shoulder-specific scoring of these measures resulted in substantial test-retest reliability, and the FABQ correlated with the SPADI for pain and disability. The FABQ also showed potential for prediction of short-term work loss in this sample. Pain-related fear may be an important variable in patients with shoulder pain and merits future consideration in longitudinal studies.

Examination of Motor and Hypoalgesic Effects of Cervical vs Thoracic Spine Manipulation in Patients With Lateral Epicondylalgia: A Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a cervical vs thoracic spine manipulation on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and pain-free grip strength in patients with lateral epicondylalgia (LE). METHODS A single-blind randomized clinical trial was completed with 18 participants with LE. Each subject attended 1 experimental session. Participants were randomized to receive either a cervical or thoracic spine manipulation. Pressure pain threshold over the lateral epicondyle of both elbows pain-free grip strength on the affected arm and maximum grip force on the unaffected side were assessed preintervention and 5 minutes postintervention by an examiner blind to group assignment. A 3-way analysis of variance with time and side as within-subject variable and intervention as between-subject variable was used to evaluate changes in PPT and pain-free grip. RESULTS The analysis of variance detected a significant interaction between group and time (F = 31.7, P < .000) for PPT levels. Post hoc testing revealed that the cervical spine manipulation produced a greater increase of PPT in both sides compared with thoracic spine manipulation (P < .001). For pain-free grip strength, no interaction between group and time (F = .66, P = .42) existed. CONCLUSIONS Cervical spine manipulation produced greater changes in PPT than thoracic spine manipulation in patients with LE. No differences between groups were identified for pain-free grip. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required to further examine the effects of manipulation on mechanisms of pain and motor control in upper extremity conditions.