Baylor University Physical Therapy Researcher Seeks to Improve Outcomes for Individuals Suffering from Neck Pain
Jessica Feda, PT, DPT, DSc, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, has received a $200,000, two-year Paris Patla Manual Therapy Research Grant from the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research to study how to best identify patients with neck pain likely to benefit from cervical spinal manipulation.
Joining Feda on this project from the Department of Physical Therapy are co-investigators Shane Koppenhaver, PT, PhD, Clinical Professor; Emilio “Louie” Puentedura, PT, DPT, PhD, Clinical Professor; and Kyle Adams, PT, DPT, DSc, Clinical Associate Professor.
Neck pain is extremely common—an estimated one in three people are affected each year. While symptoms are often harmless and go away on their own, for many individuals neck pain does lead to long-term disability and lost work time. Despite the condition’s prevalence and the numerous studies exploring solutions, finding effective treatment strategies for neck pain can be challenging.
"Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, affecting over 30% of people each year. It poses a significant public health challenge, highlighting the need for effective, non-invasive, and personalized treatments to reduce disability, lost productivity, and healthcare costs,” Feda emphasized. “Despite early evidence supporting its use as a safe and effective therapeutic technique, cervical spine manipulation remains underutilized. Continued research is essential to determine the most effective treatments for both short- and long-term pain relief, ultimately improving patient outcomes and guiding clinical practice."
Feda and her team hypothesize that one possible reason for the difficulty in determining effective treatment may be that treatments have not necessarily been tested on the specific groups of people who would benefit most. Through their newly funded study, they will test this premise by evaluating a method developed to identify people with neck pain who are likely to see significant improvements from a cervical spine manipulation technique used by physical therapists.
Through a multicenter randomized clinical trial, Feda and her team will test whether this method works with different patients and therapists across the country. 140 patients with primary complaints of neck pain will be enrolled from four primary clinical sites and randomly assigned to one of two groups—one group will receive cervical spine manipulation treatment and the other will receive a different form of treatment. The team will measure changes in disability at multiple points during treatment and beyond to assess both immediate and long-term effects.
By providing crucial data on the reliability of the method for identifying patients who will benefit most from cervical spine joint manipulation, this study has the potential to significantly enhance decision-making leading to rapid improvement. Results will provide clearer guidelines on the optimal use of cervical spine joint manipulation, potentially revolutionizing the way patients recover from neck pain.
"We hypothesize that this research will validate a method for identifying patients who are most likely to benefit from cervical spine joint manipulation across diverse patient populations,” Feda said. “If successful, this study would support earlier intervention, influencing referral patterns to prioritize early physical therapy. Additionally, it may refine treatment approaches by providing greater clarity on which patients will benefit most from this intervention, ultimately shaping future clinical practice guidelines and enhancing cervical manipulation education in entry-level, residency, and fellowship physical therapy programs."