Chronic neck pain is particularly prevalent among nurses. Nurses experiencing neck pain frequently report its impacts including decreased job satisfaction and reduced productivity. In recent years, non-pharmacologic approaches have increasingly been used treatments for the management of neck pain. Exercise and manual therapies represent two of the most common non-pharmacologic interventions for pain. The purpose of this study was to perform a pilot study of combined multimodal chiropractic care and Tai Chi for neck pain in nurses to help inform the design of a future, full-scale pragmatic trial.
The lifetime prevalence of chronic neck pain is approximately 50%, and it is associated with substantial societal and individual burden. Neck pain is prevalent among healthcare workers, specifically among nurses. About 45% of nurses experience neck pain, but rates may vary by population and nursing type. Neck pain in nurses significantly contributes to sickness absence and negatively impacts nurses' productivity and performance at work. Neck pain is a burden on nurses' individual health and on the healthcare system as a whole. Two of the most common non-pharmacological approaches for the management of neck pain are exercise and manual therapies, and there is some evidence that multimodal approaches combining the two are more effective than unimodal strategies. Given the widespread availability in most metropolitan areas of both Tai Chi and chiropractic care, development of an evidence-based care regimen integrating Tai Chi mind-body self-care with chiropractic represents a practical strategy for management of neck pain. To help inform the design of a larger-scale trial evaluating the combined effects of Tai Chi and chiropractic care for neck pain, the investigators propose to conduct a single-arm pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of delivering coordinated chiropractic care and Tai Chi via community-practitioners for nurses at Mass General Brigham Hospitals with chronic neck pain. 21 nurses with chronic neck pain that meet all study eligibility criteria will be recruited to receive 10 chiropractic treatments and weekly Tai Chi training over 16 weeks.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
21
Chiropractic will be personalized to the patients clinical needs within the scope of chiropractic practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts including: posture correction/spinal stabilization exercises; soft tissue relaxation techniques; spinal manipulation/mobilization; breathing and relaxation techniques; stretches, self-care; ergonomic modifications; bracing and supports. Chiropractic will be administered by one of two chiropractors at the Osher Clinical Center. Tai Chi will take place at one of two schools used in prior NIH funded trials.
Osher Center for Integrative Health
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Recruitment
Rate of enrollment (number of interested participants/number enrolled) and the percentage of eligible participants who consented to participate.
Time frame: 6 months
Retention
Percentage of participants who completed the 16-week intervention and follow-up measures.
Time frame: 16 weeks
Adherence to interventions
Proportion of participants who attend 70% of the chiropractic visits and 60% of the weekly Tai Chi classes.
Time frame: 16 weeks
Pain Severity
Measured using a 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) with 0 indicating "no pain at all" and 10 indicating "worst neck pain imaginable".
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Neck Disability Index (NDI)
Self-report questionnaire used to determine how neck pain impacts daily activities of living and self-related neck pain disability. Scores range from 10 - 60. Higher scores indicate greater disability.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Pain on Movement (POM)
Participants are asked to flex, extend, laterally flex, and laterally rotate their necks to the left and right. The evoked pain is measured on a 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) with 0 indicating "no pain at all" and 10 indicating "worst neck pain imaginable", for each direction. An average score is taken, with scores closer to 10 indicating more pain.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Bothersomeness of Pain
Measured using a 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) with 0 indicating "neck pain not at all bothersome" and 10 indicating "neck pain extremely bothersome".
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Patient Reported Outcome Measures Information System 29 (PROMIS-29)
A system of validated, highly reliable self-reported measures of health status for physical, mental, and social well-being. Raw scores are rescaled to standardized T-scores with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation (SD) of 10. A higher PROMIS T-score represents more of the item being measured.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)
A 3-section, 22-item self-report introspective psychological inventory pertaining to occupational burnout. Raw scores for the first subscale range from 0-54, for the second range from 0-30, and for the third range from 0-48. A higher score in the first two sections and a low score in the last section may indicate the presence of burnout.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES)
The GSES consists of 10 items with a 4-point Likert response scale ranging from 1 ("not at all true") to 4 ("exactly true"). Higher summed scores indicate greater self-efficacy to complete the task.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
A 14-item self-report questionnaire, with two seven-item sub scales, that measures current feelings of anxiety and depression. The total score for each sub scale ranges from 0-21, with higher scores representing higher levels of depression and anxiety.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA)
A self-report questionnaire consisting of 8 scales, addressing 5 dimensions of body awareness. Dimensions are scored individually, and scores for each question are between 0-5, where higher scores equate to more awareness of bodily sensation.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia
A 17-item self-report instrument that measures pain-related fear. Scores range from 17-68, with higher scores indicating higher levels of kinesiophobia.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Stanford Presenteeism Scale, 6-item version (SPS-6)
SPS-6 is a 6-item questionnaire assessing work quality and productivity. Scores range from 6-30, with higher scores indicating increased presenteeism.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Trail Making Test II
This two part cognitive tests is scored based on the number of sections it takes to complete each part of the test. Scores higher than the population average indicate higher degrees of cognitive impairment.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Gait Speed
Will be assessed using the ZenoTM Walkway, developed by ProtoKinetics (https://www.protokinetics.com). Participants will be asked to complete walking trials under a quiet walking condition, a fast-speed walking condition, and while completing a cognitive dual task.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
Postural Awareness Scale
This 12-item self-report scale includes items that describe the awareness of body posture and postural control. Scores range from 12-84, with higher scores indicating greater postural awareness.
Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at week 16.
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