The Relation Between Pain, Functional Status, and Neck Awareness In Individuals With Chronic Neck Pain

Abstract

Purpose: Pain intensity and functional status are interrelated, but it is suggested that this relationship is not direct. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pain, functional status, and neck awareness in individuals with chronic neck pain, and the contribution of neck awareness to the relationship between functional status and pain intensity. Methods: Seven hundred and sixty-six individuals (509 (%66.4) females; 257 (%33.6) males) with chronic neck pain were included in the study. Neck pain intensity, functional status, and neck awareness were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Bournemouth Neck Pain Questionnaire (BNPQ), and Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire (FNAQ), respectively. Results: The mean age of individuals with chronic neck pain was 39.47 +/- 13.93 years. According to multivariate regression analysis, the variables that had the main effect on functional status were VAS score (20-39 age group: beta=0.918, p<0.001, 40-60 age group: beta=0.909, p<0.001) and FNAQ score (20-39 age group: beta=0.008, p=0.035, 40-60 age group: beta=0.124, p<0.001). In the first stage of the hierarchical analysis, the explanatory rate of the VAS score was 91% in the 20-39 age group and 89.7% in the 40-60 age group. Adding the FNAQ score in the second step contributed to this ratio by 0.6% in the 20-39 age group and 1.5% in the 40-60 age group. Discussion: As a result of our study, it was determined that the main factors affecting the functional status of individuals with chronic neck pain were pain intensity and neck awareness.