Stratified Physiotherapeutic (Blended) Care in Neck and Shoulder Complaints

Phase

N/A

Condition

Neck Pain

Chronic Pain

Treatment

Physiotherapy

Clinical Study ID

NCT05680753

NL69963.041.19

NL8249

Ages > 18
All Genders

Study Summary

The aim of this cluster RCT is to investigate the clinical effectiveness of a Stratified Blended Approach for patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints on pain and disability over 9 months, compared to usual physiotherapy care.

Our secondary aims are twofold:

to investigate the effectiveness of the Stratified Blended Approach for patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints on pain intensity, health-related quality of life, illness perceptions, self-management skills, physical activity, exercise adherence, self-perceived effect and satisfaction at 3 and 9 months, compared to usual physiotherapy care;
to investigate the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of the Stratified Blended Approach for patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints, compared to usual physiotherapy care.

In the Stratified Blended Approach arm, physiotherapists will match I) the content and intensity of physiotherapy care to the patient's risk of persistent disabling pain, categorized as low, medium or high (using the Keele STarT MSK Tool) and II) the mode of care delivery to the patient's suitability and willingness to receive blended care. The control arm will receive physiotherapy as usual.

This study is financially supported by the Scientific College Physiotherapy (WCF), part of the Royal Dutch Association for Physiotherapy (KNGF). WCF has no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscripts. External peer-review took place during the funding process. The results will be publicly disclosed unreservedly.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion criteria: Patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints will be recruited within participating physiotherapy practices. In order to be eligible to participate in the data collection for the trial, a patient must meet all of the following criteria:

consulting for physiotherapy for neck and/or shoulder complaints;
one of the following physiotherapeutic diagnoses: subacromial complaints, bicepstendinosis, shoulder instability or non-specific musculoskeletal complaints of theneck and/or shoulder (not caused by acute trauma (fracture or rupture) or by anysystemic disease);
18 years or older;
sufficient mastery of the Dutch language.

Exclusion

Exclusion criteria: A patient who meets any of the following criteria will not be suitable to take part in the data collection for the trial:

neck and/or shoulder complaints caused by specific pathology (e.g. shoulder painwith loss of active and passive range of motion (frozen shoulder), vertebralfracture, tendon rupture, Parkinson's disease, hernia nucleus pulposus, cervicalstenosis), except for subacromial impingement, biceps tendinosis and shoulderinstability.

Study Design

Physiotherapy

January 13, 2020

November 01, 2023

Study Description

Intervention:

According to the Stratified Blended approach, patients will be matched to an appropriate treatment based on their risk of persistent disabling pain (assessed with the Keele STarT MSK Tool - either low, medium or high risk) and their suitability for blended care (assessed with the Dutch Blended Physiotherapy Checklist - either suitable or unsuitable for blended care). Based on patients risk profile, the physiotherapy treatment will be targeted to patients' individual needs. If considered suitable for blended care, the patient will receive a digital and face-to-face blend of physiotherapy treatment (e-Exercise) in which an app with personalized information, exercises and physical activity modules is integrated with face-to-face physiotherapy care. If patients are considered unsuitable for blended care, they will receive an information workbook with similar content as the app will be integrated with face-to-face physiotherapy. The app and the information workbook aims to support adherence to physical activity and exercise recommendations. Content of care was based on the Dutch KNGF Clinical Practice Guidelines for Physiotherapy Neck pain, Complaints of Arm, Neck and Shoulder (CANS) and Subacromial complaints.

Control group:

Usual physiotherapy. Content of care was based on the Dutch KNGF Clinical Practice Guidelines for Physiotherapy Neck pain, Complaints of Arm, Neck and Shoulder (CANS) and Subacromial complaints.

Connect with a study center

HU University of applied sciences Utrecht
Utrecht, 3584CS
Netherlands
Site Not Available

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