Application and utility of a clinical framework for spinally referred neck-arm pain: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study protocol.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The clinical presentation of neck-arm pain is heterogeneous with varying underlying pain types (nociceptive/neuropathic/mixed) and pain mechanisms (peripheral/central sensitization). A mechanism-based clinical framework for spinally referred pain has been proposed, which classifies into (1) somatic pain, (2) neural mechanosensitivity, (3) radicular pain, (4) radiculopathy and mixed pain presentations. This study aims to (i) investigate the application of the clinical framework in patients with neck-arm pain, (ii) determine their somatosensory, clinical and psychosocial profile and (iii) observe their clinical course over time.

Method

We describe a study protocol. Patients with unilateral neck-arm pain (n = 180) will undergo a clinical examination, after which they

SUBMITTER: Kapitza C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7769468 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature