The effects of neck exercise in comparison to passive or no intervention on quantitative sensory testing measurements in adults with chronic neck pain: A systematic review

Osborne, Daniel and Jadhakhan, Ferozkhan and Falla, Deborah (2024) The effects of neck exercise in comparison to passive or no intervention on quantitative sensory testing measurements in adults with chronic neck pain: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 19 (5). e0303166. ISSN 1932-6203

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Abstract

Background

Previous systematic reviews have identified the benefits of exercise for chronic neck pain on subjective reports of pain, but not with objective measures such as quantitative sensory testing (QST). A systematic review was conducted to identify the effects of neck specific exercise on QST measures in adults with chronic neck pain to synthesise existing literature and provide clinical recommendations.

Methods

The study protocol was registered prospectively with PROSPERO (PROSPERO CRD42021297383). For both randomised and non-randomised trials, the following databases and trial registries were searched: AMED, CINAHL, Embase, Google Scholar, Medline, PEDro, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index from Web of Science Core Collection, clinicaltrials.gov, GreyOpen, and ISRCTN registry. These searches were conducted from inception to February 2022 and were updated until September 2023. Reference lists of eligible studies were screened. Study selection was performed independently by two reviewers, with data extraction and quality appraisal completed by one reviewer and independently ratified by a second reviewer. Due to high heterogeneity, narrative synthesis was performed with results grouped by exercise type.

Findings

Three trials were included. Risk of bias was rated as moderate and the certainty of evidence as low or moderate for all studies. All exercise groups demonstrated statistically significant improvement at an intermediate-term follow-up, with progressive resistance training combined with graded physical training demonstrating the highest certainty of evidence. Fixed resistance training demonstrated statistically significant improvement in QST measures at a short-term assessment.

Interpretation

Fixed resistance training is effective for short-term changes in pain sensitivity based on low-quality evidence, whilst moderate-quality evidence supports progressive resistance training combined with graded physical training for intermediate-term changes in pain sensitivity.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1371/journal.pone.0303166
Dates:	Date Event 19 April 2024 Accepted 3 May 2024 Published Online
Subjects:	CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-06 - allied health > CAH02-06-04 - environmental and public health
Divisions:	Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences > College of Health and Care Professions
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	25 Nov 2024 14:53
Last Modified:	25 Nov 2024 14:53
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/15993

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