Clinical Prediction Rules for Identifying Patients With Chronic Neck Pain Who Will Benefit From General Aerobic Exercise
Condition: Neck Pain
MeSH terms: Neck Pain
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on chronic neck pain.
      The study will be double blind randomized controlled trial . 120 patients with neck pain will
      be recruited for the study and divided into a research group and control group. The research
      group will receive neck exercise program with neck massage and aerobic exercise (leg
      bicycling with relaxed shoulders) and the control group will receive only neck exercise
      program with neck massage. Both intervention will be delivered by physiotherapist over 10
      treatments and will include a home exercise program. In addition, clinical prediction rule
      (CPR) for identifying patients with neck pain who will respond better to an aerobic treatment
      program will be defined.
    

Detailed description: 
      Background:Recently, Hanney et al (2013) derived a preliminary clinical prediction rule (CPR)
      for identifying patients with neck pain (NP) who may respond to an exercise-based treatment
      program. These CPRs of neck exercise has not considered aerobic exercise (AE) on NP
      treatment.

      Aims of this study: 1) To investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on chronic neck pain;2)
      To derive a clinical prediction rule for identifying patients with neck pain who may benefit
      from aerobic treatment program; 3) To determine the prevalence of neck pain in Israel.

      Study Design: Double Blind Randomized controlled trial setting: Outpatients physical therapy
      clinics of "Clalit Health Services" in Haifa and Western Galilee area.

      Participants: Patients referred to physical therapy with a primary diagnosis of chronic
      non-specific NP.

      Methods: Following a baseline examination in which the subjects' status on the CPR will be
      determined, the subjects (CPR positive and negative) will be randomized, divided into a
      research group and control group. The CPR status will be determined according to Hanney's
      paper (e.g.: neck disability Index score < 18/50 ,shoulder protraction, cervical side bending
      < 32°,Fear avoidance belief questionnaire-physical activity score < 15, not active on a
      regular basis on bicycle training). Positive CPR is accordance of having 4/5 these points.

      The baseline examination will include: active and passive cervical range of motion,
      neurological exam (reflex, sensation, muscle testing), cervical segmental mobility (accessory
      movement), neck muscle length, cervical manual muscle test and posture assessment.

      The research group will receive neck exercise program with neck massage and AE (leg bicycling
      with relaxed shoulders) and the control group will receive neck exercise program with neck
      massage. Both intervention will be delivered by physiotherapist over 10 treatments and will
      include a home exercise program. Immediate examination will be used at the last treatment (10
      treatments), and at 3 and 6 month follow up examination for long-term effects.

      In addition, Data collecting from physiotherapy department in "Clalit Health Services" about
      statistic of patients with NP who referred to physical therapy including: Prevalence,
      demographic and profile data
    

Intervention name(s): physical therapy treatment with aerobic exercise; physical therapy treatment
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): neck exercise strengthening program with neck massage and aerobic exercise (leg bicycling with relaxed shoulders); neck exercise strengthening program with neck massage
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Care Provider, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: neck pain; aerobic exercise; cervical pain