First international physiotherapy clinical guidance document published
A framework published by the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists (IFOMPT) has concluded the best practice for the assessment of patients with head and neck pain. The framework, International Framework for Examination of the Cervical Region for potential of Cervical Arterial Dysfunction prior to Orthopaedic Manual Therapy Intervention, which took five years to compile and [...]
The effects of disc degeneration and muscle dysfunction on cervical spine stability from a biomechanical study.
Disc degeneration and muscle dysfunction are common spinal degenerations in the elderly. This in vitro study was carried out to investigate the effects of these two degenerative changes on spinal stability. The stability of nine porcine cervical spines (C2-T1) with mechanically simulated cervical muscles (sternocleidomastoid (SCM), splenius capitis (SPL), semispinalis capitis (SSC)) was tested before [...]
The clinical effectiveness of a myofeedback-based teletreatment service in patients with non-specific neck and shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial.
We investigated the effectiveness and efficiency of a four-week myofeedback-based teletreatment service in subjects with non-specific neck and shoulder pain. Subjects were recruited in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands and randomly allocated to the intervention or conventional care. Subjects in the intervention group received four weeks of myofeedback training. Pain intensity and disability were evaluated [...]
Examination of a Clinical Prediction Rule to Identify Patients With Neck Pain Likely to Benefit From Thoracic Spine Thrust Manipulation and a General Cervical Range of Motion Exercise: Multi-Center Randomized Clinical Trial
A clinical prediction rule (CPR) purported to identify patients with neck pain who are likely to respond to thoracic spine thrust manipulation has recently been developed, but has yet to be validated. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of this CPR. One hundred forty patients with a primary report of neck [...]
Manipulative therapy in addition to usual medical care accelerates recovery of shoulder complaints at higher costs: economic outcomes of a randomized trial
Shoulder complaints are common in primary care and have an unfavourable long term prognosis. The objective was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of manipulative therapy of the cervicothoracic spine and the adjacent ribs in addition to usual medical care (UMC) by the general practitioner in the treatment of shoulder complaints. This economic evaluation was conducted [...]
The effectiveness of thoracic manipulation on patients with chronic mechanical neck pain – A randomized controlled trial
The aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness of thoracic manipulation (TM) on patients with chronic neck pain. 120 patients aged between 18 and 55 were randomly allocated into two groups: an experimental group which received TM and a control group without the manipulative procedure. Both groups received infrared radiation therapy (IRR) and [...]
Standardized manual palpation of myofascial trigger points in relation to neck/shoulder pain; the influence of clinical experience on inter-examiner reproducibility
A diagnosis of Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) requires palpation for the identification of at least one clinically relevant trigger point (TP). However, few comparable, high quality studies currently exist from which to draw firm conclusions regarding the robustness of TP examination. An inter-observer agreement study was conducted using two experienced and two inexperienced clinicians. All [...]
Reliability, Construct Validity, and Responsiveness of the Neck Disability Index, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, and Numeric Pain Rating Scale in Patients with Cervical Radiculopathy.
The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Neck Disability Index, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale in a cohort of patients with cervical radiculopathy. A single-group repeated-measures design. Patients (n = 165) presenting to physical therapy with cervical radiculopathy completed the Neck Disability Index, Patient-Specific Functional [...]
Comparative analysis and diagnostic accuracy of the cervical flexion-rotation test.
The aim of this study was to compare the findings of the cervical flexion-rotation test (FRT) between subjects with probable cervicogenic headache (CGH), migraine without aura (Migraine), and multiple headache forms (MHF). An additional aim was to identify the diagnostic accuracy of the FRT in CGH evaluation. Sixty subjects were evaluated: 20 with CGH, 20 [...]
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