Integrating Chiropractic Care and Mind-Body Training for the Treatment of Nonspecific Chronic Neck Pain

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.

Inclusion criteria

• Nurses employed at Mass General Brigham Hospitals
• Chronic nonspecific neck pain at least 5 days a week for at least 3 consecutive months
• Neck pain level of 3 or higher as reported on a numerical scale ranging from 0 to 10, with 10 described as 'worst neck pain imaginable'
• Agreeable to participate and commit to study interventions
• Neck Disability Index score of 5 or greater
• Fluent in English

Exclusion criteria

• Currently, or having received chiropractic care in past 12 months
• Regular practice (on average, weekly) of Yoga, Tai Chi or Qigong in the past 6 months
• Any major systemic illness or unstable medical or psychiatric condition requiring immediate treatment or that could lead to difficulty complying with the protocol
• Any disability precluding exercise practice
• History of stroke, carotid artery dissection, or vertebral artery dissection
• Signs of myelopathy or carotid bruits or evidence of pathological hypermobility (e.g. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) during the clinical exam
• Neck pain caused by congenital deformity of the spine that contraindicate treatment, neck pain related to neoplasm, inflammatory rheumatic disease, neurological disorder, active oncologic disease, severe affective disorder, addiction, or psychosis
• Neck pain associated with radicular pain or radiculopathy
• Pregnancy
• Recent spinal injections (in the past 4 weeks)
• Neck pain with litigation, any prior cervical surgery/spinal surgery within previous year
• Persons currently involved in a disability/accident claim