Neck Exercises, Training and Pain Management as a Treatment for Whiplash Patients With Chronic Neck Pain — WADNECXT  

Neck Pain Clinical Trial

Official title: Neck Exercises, Physical and Cognitive Behavioural Graded Activity as a Treatment for Adult Whiplash Patients With Chronic Neck Pain

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to test whether a physiotherapy intervention containing pain management, general training and specific neck exercises can improve function for patients with chronic neck pain.

Clinical Trial Description

Neck pain is widespread problem. The prevalence of neck pain in the Scandinavian countries is 36%. Of the working population the prevalence of chronic neck pain is 10 - 20%.The National Board of Health estimates that 5-6000 subjects per year in Denmark are involved in a traffic accident evoking whiplash-induced chronic neck pain. The main problems for patients with chronic neck pain are cervical dysfunction, reduced neck mobility and stability in addition to local and possibly generalised pain Besides chronic neck pain, patients may suffer from poor pain coping strategies and physical inactivity which influences physical function, general health and causes a poor quality of life.

Physical training including specific exercises targeting the deep postural muscles of the spine is effective in reducing neck pain for patients with chronic neck pain. Physical behavioural graded activity is a treatment approach with focus on increasing general physical fitness, reducing fear of movements and increasing psychological function. Educational sessions, where the focus is on understanding complex chronic pain mechanisms and development of appropriate pain coping and/or cognitive behavioural strategies have shown reduced general pain.

Thus this project is formulated on the expectation that rehabilitation of patients with chronic neck pain after a whiplash accident must target cervical dysfunctions, training of physical function and the understanding and management of chronic pain in a combined therapy approach.

The study is designed as a randomized control study including 200 patients. All participate in the educational sessions. The training group receives on top of that instruction in specific neck exercises and general training. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Chronic Pain
• Chronic Pain Syndrome
• Neck Pain
• Whiplash Injuries

• NCT number: NCT01431261
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Southern Denmark
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 2012
• Completion date: June 2016