Basic body awareness therapy or exercise therapy for the treatment of chronic whiplash associated disorders: a randomized comparative clinical trial

Seferiadis, Aris, Ohlin, Pernilla, Billhult, Annika, and Gunnarsson, Ronny (2016) Basic body awareness therapy or exercise therapy for the treatment of chronic whiplash associated disorders: a randomized comparative clinical trial. Disability and Rehabilitation, 38 (5). pp. 442-451.

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Abstract

Purpose: Chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) incur both costs and suffering. Treatments that can relieve chronic WAD are therefore needed. Exercise therapy (ET) has been shown to provide pain relief. Another often used treatment for chronic pain in Scandinavia is basic body awareness therapy (BAT). We compared the effectiveness of 10 weeks of twice-weekly, 90-min sessions of either ET or BAT in a randomized comparative trial.

Method: We recruited 113 patients suffering from chronic WAD grades I–III and several years’ duration of symptoms in a primary health care setting. 57 were allocated to ET and 56 to BAT. Primary outcome measures were Neck Disability Index and SF-36 v.2.

Results: From baseline to post-treatment, the BAT group increased their physical functioning (median 5, IQR = 15) more than the ET group (median = 0, IQR = 15), p = 0.032, effect size −0.54. Three months after the end of treatment, the BAT group had less bodily pain (m = 17.5, 95% CI 6.9–17.6) than the ET group (m = 4.9, 95% CI −0.1 to 9.8), p = 0.044, effect size −0.4. The BAT group had also increased their social functioning (m = 13.3, 95% CI 6.6–19.9) more than the ET group (m = 3.5, 95% CI −3 to 9.9), p = 0.037, effect size −0.41. No statistically significant differences between groups were found for the change of other outcomes. No serious adverse effects were found in either groups.

Conclusions: The present trial indicates that BAT led to greater improvements than ET for the patients with chronic WAD.

Item ID: 39418
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1464-5165
Keywords: body awareness therapy, exercise, Neck Disability Index, SF-36, whiplash
Funders: Health & Medical Care Committee of the Region Västra Götaland (HMCCVG), Research and Development Council of the County Södra Alvsborg (RDCCSA)
Projects and Grants: HMCCVG VGFOUREG-11419, HMCCVG VGFOUREG-24191, HMCCVG VGFOUREG-5525, RDCCSA VGFOUSA-162631, RDCCSA VGFOUSA-38041, RDCCSA VGFOUSA-43901, RDCCSA VGFOUSA-87931
Date Deposited: 16 Jul 2015 04:12
FoR Codes: 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4201 Allied health and rehabilitation science > 420106 Physiotherapy @ 50%
42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4203 Health services and systems > 420304 General practice @ 50%
SEO Codes: 92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920116 Skeletal System and Disorders (incl. Arthritis) @ 50%
92 HEALTH > 9202 Health and Support Services > 920201 Allied Health Therapies (excl. Mental Health Services) @ 25%
92 HEALTH > 9202 Health and Support Services > 920204 Evaluation of Health Outcomes @ 25%
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