Overall , as a therapeutic intervention , structured patient education was equal or less effective than other conservative treatments including massage , supervised exercise , and physiotherapy .
However , structured patient education may provide small benefits when combined with physiotherapy .
Either mode of delivery ( ie , oral or written education ) provides similar results in patients with recent WAD .
Results suggest that structured patient education alone can not be expected to yield large benefits in clinical effectiveness compared with other conservative interventions for patients with WAD or NAD .
Moreover , structured patient education may be of benefit during the recovery of patients with WAD when used as an adjunct therapy to physiotherapy or emergency room care .
These benefits are small and short lived
BACKGROUND CONTEXT In 2008 , the Bone and Joint Decade 2000 to 2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders recommended patient education for the management of neck pain .
However , the effectiveness of education interventions has recently been challenged .
PURPOSE To up date the findings of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000 to 2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders and evaluate the effectiveness of structured patient education for the management of patients with whiplash-associated disorders ( WAD ) or neck pain and associated disorders ( NAD ) .
OUTCOME MEASURES Self-rated recovery , functional recovery ( eg , disability , return to activities , work , or school ) , pain intensity , health-related quality of life , psychological outcomes such as depression or fear , or adverse effects .
Predictors of Poor Outcome in Patients With Neck Pain Treated by Physical Therapy
Objectives This study evaluated predictors of poor outcome in patients with neck pain treated by physical therapy  , and sought to compare the findings of empirical data with physical therapy practitioners ' subjective perceptions about predictors of outcome . Methods This study was a secondary analysis of data from a r and omized controlled trial assessing physical therapy treatments for neck pain ( n=346 ) . A baseline question naire provided data on a number of potential risk factors of poor outcome at follow-up . Follow-up was conducted at 6 weeks and 6 months by postal question naire with outcome defined separately by perceived ( global ) change and minimal clinical ly important differences in the Northwick Park Neck Pain Question naire ( MCID-NPQ ) . Therapists ' perceptions of predictors for treatment outcome were captured using a separate question naire , and the ratings compared with ranks derived from the 6-month trial data . Results Baseline characteristics accounted for a much greater proportion of explained variance for global change compared with MCID-NPQ at 6 months . Independent biopsychosocial characteristics included manual social class , catastrophizing , anxiety and depression , low treatment expectations , severity of baseline neck pain/disability , presence of comorbid back pain , and older age . Physical therapist ranks correlated highly with those derived from the trial data . Conclusions Significant predictors of outcome were identified , particularly at 6 months , including psychosocial , functional , and demographic indicators . Our findings suggest that physical therapists are collectively aware of the relative importance of physical and psychosocial factors in predicting clinical outcome . However , a significant amount of variability in outcomes in our prognostic models remained largely unexplained , indicating that we need to explore further underlying factors to inform clinical decision-making
Overall , as a therapeutic intervention , structured patient education was equal or less effective than other conservative treatments including massage , supervised exercise , and physiotherapy .
However , structured patient education may provide small benefits when combined with physiotherapy .
Either mode of delivery ( ie , oral or written education ) provides similar results in patients with recent WAD .
Results suggest that structured patient education alone can not be expected to yield large benefits in clinical effectiveness compared with other conservative interventions for patients with WAD or NAD .
Moreover , structured patient education may be of benefit during the recovery of patients with WAD when used as an adjunct therapy to physiotherapy or emergency room care .
These benefits are small and short lived
BACKGROUND CONTEXT In 2008 , the Bone and Joint Decade 2000 to 2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders recommended patient education for the management of neck pain .
However , the effectiveness of education interventions has recently been challenged .
PURPOSE To up date the findings of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000 to 2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders and evaluate the effectiveness of structured patient education for the management of patients with whiplash-associated disorders ( WAD ) or neck pain and associated disorders ( NAD ) .
OUTCOME MEASURES Self-rated recovery , functional recovery ( eg , disability , return to activities , work , or school ) , pain intensity , health-related quality of life , psychological outcomes such as depression or fear , or adverse effects .