Relationship of neck disability index, shoulder pain and disability index, and visual analogue scale in individuals with chronic neck pain

Abstract

Objective: Several muscles surrounding neck are vital not only for neck motion, but for upper extremities motions as well. Neck pain would affect neck and shoulder disability. The Neck Disability Index (NDI), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) are increasingly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness after chronic neck pain. The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation of neck pain, shoulder pain, and quality of life in patients with chronic neck pain. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Forty-three patients with neck pain participated in this study. Participants were instructed to place a mark on each item of three clinical measures that best represented their experience of his/her neck and shoulder problem over the last week. The outcome measures of the study were NDI, SPADI, and VAS for neck and shoulder pain and disability. Results: The NDI was significantly correlated with the VAS-Neck, SPADI-Pain, SPADI-Disability, SPADI-Total, and VAS-Shoulder (p<0.05). The VAS-Neck was significantly correlated with the VAS-Neck, SPADI-Pain, SPADI-Disability, SPADI- Total, and VAS-Shoulder (p<0.05). The SPADI-Total was significantly correlated with the NDI, VAS-Neck, SPADI-Pain, SPADI- Disability, and VAS-Shoulder (p<0.05). The SPADI-Pain was significantly correlated with the NDI, VAS-Neck, SPADI- Disability, SPADI-Total, and VAS-Shoulder (p<0.05). The SPADI-Disability was significantly correlated with the NDI, VAS- Neck, SPADI-Total, SPADI-Pain, and VAS-Shoulder (p<0.05). The VAS-Shoulder was significantly correlated with the NDI, VAS-Neck, SPADI-Pain, SPADI-Disability, and SPADI-Total (p<0.05). Conclusions: Neck disability in patients with chronic neck pain should be considered with disability and pain of the shoulder.