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. 2017 Aug-Sep;49(7):417-425.
doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2016.09.010. Epub 2017 Jan 11.

[Effectiveness of an individualised physiotherapy program versus group therapy on neck pain and disability in patients with acute and subacute mechanical neck pain]

[Article in Spanish]
Leonardo Gregorio Antúnez Sánchez  1 , María de la Casa Almeida  2 , Jesús Rebollo Roldán  3 , Antonio Ramírez Manzano  1 , Rocío Martín Valero  4 , Carmen Suárez Serrano  3
Affiliations

[Effectiveness of an individualised physiotherapy program versus group therapy on neck pain and disability in patients with acute and subacute mechanical neck pain]

[Article in Spanish]
Leonardo Gregorio Antúnez Sánchez et al. Aten Primaria. 2017 Aug-Sep.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To compare the efficacy in reducing neck pain and disability in an individualised physiotherapy treatment with group treatment in acute and subacute mechanical neck pain.

Design: Randomised clinical trial.

Location: Health Area of University Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain.

Participants: A total of 90 patients diagnosed with mechanical neck pain of up to one month onset, distributed randomly into two groups: (i)individualised treatment; (ii)group treatment.

Intervention: The treatment consisted of 15 sessions of about 60minutes for both groups. Individual treatment consisted of 15minutes of infrared heat therapy, 17minutes of massage, and analytical passive stretching of the trapezius muscles and angle of the scapula. The group treatment consisted of a program of active mobilisation, isometric contractions, self-stretching, and postural recommendations.

Main measures: Pain was measured at the beginning and end of treatment pain using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and an algometer applied on the trapezius muscles and angle of the scapula, and neck disability using the Neck Disability Index.

Results: Both treatments were statistically significant (P<.001) in improving all variables. Statistically significant differences (P<.001) were found for all of them in favour of individualised treatment compared to group treatment.

Conclusions: Patients with acute or subacute mechanical neck pain experienced an improvement in pain and neck disability after receiving either of the physiotherapy treatments used in our study, with the individual treatment being more effective than collective.

Objetivo: Comparar la eficacia en la disminución del dolor y la discapacidad cervical del tratamiento fisioterapéutico individualizado frente al colectivo en las cervicalgias mecánicas agudas y subagudas.

Diseño: Ensayo clínico aleatorizado.

Emplazamiento: . Área sanitaria del Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla.

Participantes: Noventa sujetos diagnosticados de cervicalgia mecánica de menos de un mes de evolución distribuidos aleatoriamente en 2 grupos: a) tratamiento individualizado, y b) tratamiento colectivo.

Intervención: Se realizaron 15 sesiones de aproximadamente 60 min en ambos grupos. El tratamiento individual consistió en 15 min de termoterapia infrarroja, 17 de masaje, y estiramientos analíticos pasivos de los músculos trapecio y angular de la escápula. El colectivo constó de un programa de movilizaciones activas, contracciones isométricas, autoestiramientos y recomendaciones posturales.

Mediciones principales: Al inicio y al final del tratamiento se midió el dolor mediante la escala visual analógica y el algómetro aplicado sobre los músculos trapecio y angular de la escápula, así como la discapacidad cervical mediante el índice de discapacidad cervical.

Resultados: Ambos tratamientos se mostraron estadísticamente significativos (p < 0,001) en la mejora de todas las variables. Se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p < 0,001) para todas ellas a favor del tratamiento individualizado frente al colectivo.

Conclusiones: Los pacientes con cervicalgia mecánica en estado agudo o subagudo experimentan una mejora estadísticamente significativa del dolor y de la discapacidad cervical tras recibir ambas modalidades de tratamiento de fisioterapia empleadas en nuestro estudio, mostrándose la modalidad de tratamiento individual más eficaz que la colectiva.

Keywords: Algometry; Algómetro; Cervicalgia; Escala visual analógica; Fisioterapia; Neck disability index; Neck pain; Physiotherapy; Visual analogue scale; Índice de discapacidad cervical.

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Figures

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Esquema general del estudio:
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