Neck Pain Patient Decision Aid: Step 4

This page is part of the 'Should I receive manual therapy and exercise for my neck pain?: A patient decision aid' resource for patients. Please see the main project page for further information, or proceed to Step 4 below to decide which reasons to choose each option matter most to you.


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Common reasons to choose each option are listed below. Check how much each reason matters to you on a scale from 0-5.

0 means it is NOT important to you, 5 means it is VERY important to you.

How important is it to you…
To get short-term pain relief

1 2 3 4 5



To improve neck pain and function in the long term

1 2 3 4 5


To avoid the potential minor side effects of manual therapy and exercise

1 2 3 4 5


To avoid the potential for rare, catastrophic events

1 2 3 4 5


To avoid the cost of manual therapy and exercise (if it’s not covered by your insurance)

1 2 3 4 5


To avoid the inconvenience of going to manual therapy and exercise treatment sessions

List other reasons that are important to you

___________________________________________________________________

1 2 3 4



___________________________________________________________________

1 2 3 4



___________________________________________________________________

1 2 3 4




Now think about which option has the reasons that are most important to you.

Which option do you prefer?

  • Option #1: Manual therapy
  • Option #2: Exercise
  • Option #3: A combination of manual therapy and exercise
  • Option #4: Discuss other options with your physiotherapist or physician
  • Option #5: Do nothing or continue with current strategy