Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term trajectory of recovery from mechanical
neck pain, and predictors of trajectory. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal cohort
study with 5 repeated measurements over 4 weeks. SETTING: Community-based
physical therapy clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of community-dwelling
adults (N=50) with uncomplicated mechanical neck disorders of any duration.
INTERVENTIONS: Usual physical therapy care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neck
Disability Index (NDI), numeric rating scale (NRS) of pain intensity. RESULTS: A
total of 50 consecutive subjects provided 5 data points over 4 weeks. Exploratory
modeling using latent class growth analysis revealed a linear trend in
improvement, at a mean of 1.5 NDI points and 0.5 NRS points per week. Within the
NDI trajectory, 3 latent classes were identified, each with a unique trend:
worsening (14.5%), rapid improvement (19.6%), and slow improvement (65.8%).
Within the NRS trajectory, 2 unique trends were identified: stable (48.0%) and
improving (52.0%). Predictors of trajectory class suggest that it may be possible
to predict the trajectory. Results are described in view of the sample size.
CONCLUSIONS: The mean trajectory of improvement in neck pain adequately fits a
linear model and suggests slow but stable improvement over the short term.
However, up to 3 different trajectories have been identified that suggest neck
pain, and recovery thereof, is not homogenous. This may hold value for the design
of clinical trials.
CI - Copyright (c) 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS