If rehabilitation interventions are to be provided accurately it seems that adopting same approach for back and neck pain may be inappropriate.
Evidence from:
SZ George. Spine. October (2001) Vol. 26 #19 p 2139
A refinement of the role of fear avoidance in the course of chronic pain conditions is suggested by this research.
The hypothesis being tested is that fear avoidance beliefs (FAB) would have different effects on the course of two very similar injuries located in different parts of the body, the lower back and, neck.
FAB believed to be determined by stressful life events, personality, previous history of pain, and pain coping strategy? However it is not clear that the effect of each of these can be independently measured.
The study made assessments of cases that had been referred to a chronic pain clinic.
FAB were the same for both neck pain and back pain cases, however the associated disability was worse for back cases.
Pain and disability were related for back cases but not neck cases.
Sudden onset cases were more fearful than gradual onset cases.
Comment
It is perhaps unsurprising that a back-related disability would be more immobilising than a neck one.
Rehabilitation should consider that the means by which an injury was acquired, could affect the victims
perception of continued risk of harm.