Abstract
M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
The aim of this study was to determine whether improving a patient’s sleep ergonomics with the use of a cervical memory foam pillow was beneficial when combined with. A total of thirty participants volunteered to take part in this study - fifteen females and fifteen males. All were between the ages of eighteen and forty years old. The participants were randomly placed into one of two groups, each group consisting of fifteen participants. Group 1 received chiropractic manipulation to the restricted segment/s of the cervical spine, while Group 2 received both chiropractic manipulation to the restricted segment/s of the cervical spine and a Sleep Active® Memory Foam® cervical spine pillow. The participant of Group 2 were given their pillow and were given instructions on how to use the pillow at home whilst sleeping, and were requested to sleep with this pillow throughout the duration of the study.
Procedure: In this study each participant received six chiropractic treatments over a period of three weeks and one final follow-up visit where no treatment was administered. Subjective and objective data was recorded at the beginning of the first, fourth and seventh consultations. The subjective data included the Numerical Pain Rating scale (NPRS), Vernon-Mior Neck Pain and Disability Index, the sleep component of the Vernon-Mior Neck Pain and Disability Index (component 7) and a modified Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Objective data included measurement of cervical spine range of motion with the use of a goniometer.
Results: Statistical analysis performed included the non-parametric tests to determine if significant statistical results were found over time. The
Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests were performed for intra-group analysis and the Mann-Whitney U Test for intergroup analysis. Further correlation studies were conducted using the parametric, Pearson’s Test. The statistical analysis revealed significant statistical changes for intra-group results for both Group 1 and Group 2 and also significant statistical results for the intergroup analysis of the NPRS. The Vernon-Mior Neck Pain and Disability Index and the PSQI, yielded similar results - significant statistical changes within the intra-group analysis were found. The sleep component of the Vernon-Mior Neck Pain and Disability Index (Component 7) showed no significant statistical change for the participants of Group 1, however, a significant statistical change was found for the participants of Group 2. No significant statistical difference was found between the groups for the intergroup analysis, over time. Correlation studies between pain (NPRS) and sleep (Sleep Component of the Vernon-Mior Neck Pain and Disability Index) were included in the statistical analysis. It was found that no correlation between sleep and pain existed for those participants in Group 1, whereas Group 2 showed a trend between pain and sleep. The objective data collected from this study (cervical spine range of motion) was inconclusive.
Conclusion: The results demonstrated that addressing sleep ergonomics with the use of Sleep Active® Memory Foam® Pillows to be an effective addition to a chiropractic treatment protocol when treating patients diagnosed with chronic cervical facet syndrome. Additionally, a relationship between sleep and pain was shown to exist and poor sleep should be considered when treating patients with chronic pain syndromes.