A researcher at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Nedlands and collaborators in the United States, have created a new tool to help health professionals improve their treatment of patients experiencing pain in the neck or back. Professor Markus Melloh, who is also associated with the University of Western Australia, says the new Spine Functional Index is a tool which was tested in 10 Australian physiotherapy outpatient clinics on more than 200 patients who had neck and back problems for less than 5 weeks.

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