Schreiber Adam L, Fried Guy W
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009 Nov-Dec;32(9):772-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2009.10.004.
The purpose of this study is to describe the demographic profile of patients in the New Jersey area who are involved in motor vehicle personal injury lawsuits and who are referred from chiropractors to physiatrists.
The study design was a prospective chart review of patients (N = 38) referred to a private physiatric practice from 5 chiropractic practices. Patient data collected at initial consultation included age, employment status, emergency department consultation, time since accident, visual analog score, neck pain and back pain, review of systems, and functional limitations.
The average patient was 37.1 years old, with male-to-female ratio nearly 1:1, and presenting 4.5 months after the accident; 81.6% were employed before the accident, 25.8% of which stopped working. The average pain score was 6.6 on a visual analog scale. Neck and back pain were common at 84.2% and 89.5%, respectively. Other complaints included headaches, sleeping difficulties, dizziness, depression, and anxiety. Limitations in function was reported in most patients.
In this study, patients referred to a physiatrist from doctors of chiropractic had neck and low back pain not requiring hospital admission. Patients referred tended to have complicated cases with a variety of medical, legal, and psychological factors that are associated with delayed recovery. Physiatrists may be uniquely suited to assist chiropractors in management of complicated patients who have been involved in motor vehicle personal injury lawsuits and who have multidisciplinary needs.
本研究旨在描述新泽西地区参与机动车人身伤害诉讼且由脊椎按摩师转介至物理治疗师处的患者的人口统计学特征。
本研究设计为对从5家脊椎按摩诊所转介至一家私人物理治疗诊所的患者（N = 38）进行前瞻性病历回顾。初次会诊时收集的患者数据包括年龄、就业状况、急诊科会诊情况、事故发生后的时间、视觉模拟评分、颈部疼痛和背部疼痛、系统回顾以及功能受限情况。
患者平均年龄为37.1岁，男女比例接近1:1，事故发生后4.5个月前来就诊；81.6%的患者在事故前有工作，其中25.8%停止工作。视觉模拟量表的平均疼痛评分为6.6。颈部和背部疼痛较为常见，分别为84.2%和89.5%。其他主诉包括头痛、睡眠困难、头晕、抑郁和焦虑。大多数患者报告存在功能受限情况。
在本研究中，从脊椎按摩师转介至物理治疗师处的患者有颈部和下背部疼痛，无需住院治疗。被转介的患者往往有复杂的病例，伴有各种与恢复延迟相关的医学、法律和心理因素。物理治疗师可能特别适合协助脊椎按摩师管理参与机动车人身伤害诉讼且有多学科需求的复杂患者。
