The Bournemouth Questionnaire as an outcome measure in the rehabilitation of a person suffering with mechanical neck and arm pain and concurrent Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a case report.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper was to present a report in which the Bournemouth Questionnaire was used as an outcome measure in the treatment and rehabilitation of an individual previously diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and concurrently suffering with mechanical neck and arm pain. DESIGN ARCHITECTURE: This was a retrospective case report. SAMPLE PROFILE: An individual over 18 years of age previously diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and now suffering with mechanical neck and arm pain. The individual is free from other illnesses and the individual is free from contra-indications to chiropractic care and rehabilitation. OUTCOME MEASURES The outcome measures of this case report were based on the Bournemouth Neck Questionnaire. METHOD The course of treatment involved diversified chiropractic manipulative therapy of involved joints, soft tissue therapy and specific rehabilitative postural exercises. Outcome measures were compared to pretreatment baselines. The Bournemouth Neck Questionnaire was completed at weeks 0, and 6. The length of the study was 6 weeks. Re-evaluation of treatment occurred at similar intervals. RESULTS The Bournemouth patient raw scores pre-intervention were 6, 3, 2, 7, 2, 4, 2 with a total score of 26/70. Post intervention raw scores were 4, 2, 0, 7, 1, 2, 1 with a total score of 17/70. The percentage change score was 34.6. CONCLUSION The change in raw scores was not clinically important. The percentage change score is considered indicative of clinically important change. The following two questions for further study are presented. Can the questions relating to depression and mood in the Bournemouth Questionnaire be used as a clinical indicator of adherence to home exercise programs? Can the Bournemouth Questionnaire be used as an appropriate outcome measure of non-specific musculoskeletal pain in individuals suffering from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease?