Patients with neck pain are less likely to improve if they experience poor sleep quality: a prospective study in routine practice.

Objective: To assess whether sleep quality (SQ) at baseline is associated with improvement in pain and disability at 3 months.

Materials And Methods: Four hundred twenty-two subacute and chronic patients with neck pain (NP) were recruited in 32 physiotherapy, primary care, and specialized centers. NP, referred pain, disability, catastrophizing, depression, and SQ were assessed through validated questionnaires, upon recruitment and 3 months later.

Effectiveness of the Godelieve Denys-Struyf (GDS) method in people with low back pain: cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: The Godelieve Denys-Struyf method (GDS) is a motor learning intervention that may be applied in group or individualized sessions.

Objective: The study objective was to compare the effectiveness of routine physical therapy, group GDS (GDS-G) sessions, and group and individualized GDS (GDS-I) sessions.

Design: This was a cluster randomized controlled trial.

The perceptions of people with low back pain treated in the Spanish National Health, and their experience while undergoing a new evidence-based treatment. A focus group study.

Purpose: To explore the perceptions of people with low back pain (LBP) treated within the Spanish National Health Service, and their experience while undergoing a new evidence-based treatment ("neuroreflexotherapy").

Methods: A focus group (FG) study was conducted. Participants were divided into five groups according to whether they: suffered from subacute versus chronic LBP; had undergone one versus several neuroreflexotherapy procedures; showed a clinically relevant improvement in pain and disability according to validated measuring instruments, and reported it.

Improving schoolchildren's knowledge of methods for the prevention and management of low back pain: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Study Design: Cluster randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a very simple education campaign among community-dwelling 8-year-old schoolchildren.

Summary Of Background Data: Information has a positive effect on low back pain (LBP) prevention and management.

The influence of psychological factors on low back pain-related disability in community dwelling older persons.

Objectives: To assess the influence of fear avoidance beliefs (FAB) and catastrophizing on low back pain (LBP)-related disability in Spanish community dwelling retirees.

Design: Correlation between variables measured with previously validated instruments.

Setting: Majorca, Spain.

Neuro-reflexotherapy for the management of myofascial temporomandibular joint pain: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of neuro-reflexotherapy intervention (NRT) for treating temporomandibular joint dysfunction attributed to myofascial pain. Neuro-reflexotherapy intervention consists of the temporary implantation of epidermal devices in trigger points in the back and ear. It has shown efficacy, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness in treating subacute and chronic common back pain.

Minimum detectable and minimal clinically important changes for pain in patients with nonspecific neck pain.

Background: The minimal detectable change (MDC) and the minimal clinically important changes (MCIC) have been explored for nonspecific low back pain patients and are similar across different cultural settings. No data on MDC and MCIC for pain severity are available for neck pain patients. The objectives of this study were to estimate MDC and MCIC for pain severity in subacute and chronic neck pain (NP) patients, to assess if MDC and MCIC values are influenced by baseline values and to explore if they are different in the subset of patients reporting referred pain, and in subacute versus chronic patients.

Psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of instruments to measure neck pain disability.

Background: The NDI, COM and NPQ are evaluation instruments for disability due to NP. There was no Spanish version of NDI or COM for which psychometric characteristics were known. The objectives of this study were to translate and culturally adapt the Spanish version of the Neck Disability Index Questionnaire (NDI), and the Core Outcome Measure (COM), to validate its use in Spanish speaking patients with non-specific neck pain (NP), and to compare their psychometric characteristics with those of the Spanish version of the Northwick Pain Questionnaire (NPQ).

Minimal clinically important change for pain intensity and disability in patients with nonspecific low back pain.

Study Design: Cohort study.

Objective: To estimate the minimal clinically important change (MCIC) on the pain intensity numerical rating scale (PI-NRS) and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMQ) in subacute and chronic patients with low back pain (LBP), with and without referred pain to the leg (LP), seen in the routine clinical practice of the Spanish National Health Service.

Summary Of Background Data: MCIC have been explored in Anglo-Saxon and Northern European LBP patients.

[How to care for the backs of the caretakers].

Rachis mechanical syndrome is especially frequent among nursing professionals, probably due to ergonomic and psychological factors. In order to prevent this syndrome, and to accelerate recovery from it, correct posture and, moreover regular physical exercises constitute the best current methods available.

Fear avoidance beliefs do not influence disability and quality of life in Spanish elderly subjects with low back pain.

Study Design: Correlation between previously validated questionnaires.

Objective: To assess the association of fear avoidance beliefs (FAB) with disability and quality of life in elderly Spanish subjects.

Summary Of Background Data: As opposed to Anglo-Saxon and Northern European patients, in Spanish low back pain (LBP) patients of working age, the influence of FAB on disability and quality of life is sparse and much less than that of pain.

Prognostic factors for neuroreflexotherapy in the treatment of subacute and chronic neck and back pain: a study of predictors of clinical outcome in routine practice of the Spanish National Health Service.

Study Design: Prospective cohort follow-up study.

Objectives: To refine the indication criteria for neuroreflexotherapy (NRT) in the treatment of subacute and chronic neck (NP), thoracic (TP) and low back pain (LBP) in the Spanish National Health Service (SNHS), by identifying prognostic factors for clinical outcome.

Summary Of Background Data: NRT consists of the temporary subcutaneous implantation of surgical devices in trigger points.

A comparison of two short education programs for improving low back pain-related disability in the elderly: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Study Design: Cluster randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of 2 minimal education programs for improving low back pain (LBP)-related disability in the elderly.

Summary Of Background Data: No education program has shown effectiveness on low back pain (LBP)-related disability in the elderly.

Correlation between pain, disability, and quality of life in patients with common low back pain.

Study Design: Correlation among previously validated questionnaires.

Objectives: To determine the correlation between pain, disability, and quality of life in patients with low back pain.

Summary Of Background Data: The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the Roland-Morris (RMQ), Oswestry (OQ), and EuroQol (EQ) Questionnaires are validated instruments to assess pain, low back pain-related disability, and quality of life.

Effect of firmness of mattress on chronic non-specific low-back pain: randomised, double-blind, controlled, multicentre trial.

Background: A firm mattress is commonly believed to be beneficial for low-back pain, although evidence supporting this recommendation is lacking. We assessed the effect of different firmnesses of mattresses on the clinical course of patients with chronic non-specific low-back pain.

Methods: In a randomised, double-blind, controlled, multicentre trial, we assessed 313 adults who had chronic non-specific low-back pain, but no referred pain, who complained of backache while lying in bed and on rising.

Risk factors for non-specific low back pain in schoolchildren and their parents: a population based study.

A survey of adolescent schoolchildren and their parents through a self-administered questionnaire was conducted to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in schoolchildren and their parents and to assess its association with exposure to known and presumed risk factors. A previously validated, self-administered questionnaire was used for collecting information on back pain history, anthropometric measures, physical and sports activity, academic problems, hours of leisure sitting, smoking, and alcohol intake. Schoolchildren between the ages of 13 and 15 in schools of the island of Mallorca and their parents (n=16,394) took part in the study.

Validation of the spanish version of the Roland-Morris questionnaire.

Study Design: Validation of a translated, culturally adapted questionnaire.

Objectives: To translate and culturally adapt the Spanish version of the Roland-Morris Questionnaire (RMQ), and to validate its use for assessing disability in Spanish patients with low back pain (LBP).

Summary Of Background Data: The RMQ is a reliable evaluation instrument for disability, but no validated Spanish version is available.