Aims: Persistent neck pain is a leading cause of years lived with disability. The aim of the current study is to describe and evaluate cognitive functional therapy for patients with persistent neck pain.
Methods: We recruited 74 patients (73% women) aged 22-76 years, with persistent neck pain. The outcomes were neck pain at activity and rest measured by 11-point numeric rating scales (NRS), disability by Neck Disability Index (NDI) (0-100), Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ), Hopkin Symptom Check List (HSCL-10) at baseline and post-treatment. The treatment program included 5 sessions and focused on cognitive strategies and exposure to physical activities.
Results: Sixty (81%) patients had follow-ups. Neck pain during activity was reduced by a mean of 3.3 (95% Confidence interval (CI) 2.6 to 3.2) and 2.5 (95% CI 1.9 to 3.1) at rest. NDI was reduced by 16.3 (95% CI 12.0-20.5). Similar large improvements were observed for FABQ and HSCL-10. Ninety-eight percent of the participants reported that they would recommend the program to other patients.
Conclusions: Clinically relevant improvements were observed in pain, disability, fear-avoidance beliefs, and emotional distress following CFT in patients with persistent neck pain.
Keywords: Persistent neck pain; cognitive functional therapy; emotional distress; neck disability index; pain.
What is this article about?Long lasting neck pain is very common and can be difficult to treat. Cognitive Functional Therapy is a type of treatment that looks at how pain is affected not only by the body, but also by a person’s thoughts, feelings, and daily activities. This approach has already been studied in people with long lasting lower back pain. This article explores whether the same type of therapy could also help people who have ongoing neck pain.What were the results?After taking part in the therapy, patients reported having less neck pain and better movement in their neck. They also felt less worried about pain, were less likely to avoid activities because of fear, and experienced less emotional stress. Patients reported that they had a better understanding of their pain and what was causing it. We report that pain and neck disability along with fear avoidance beliefs and emotional distress were reduced following the intervention. Patients reported that their understanding of their symptoms were changed.What do the results of the study mean?These results suggest that Cognitive Functional Therapy may be a promising treatment for people with long lasting neck pain. However, larger and more carefully designed studies are needed to confirm how effective this treatment really is.