SynthesisPloS one2020
Effectiveness and optimal dosage of exercise training for chronic non-specific neck pain: A systematic review with a narrative synthesis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 33 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effects of Craniocervical Flexion Exercises and Scapular Stabilization Exercises in Neck Pain and Forward Head Posture Among Female Wearing Head Scarves
The Effects of Cervical Stabilization Exercises and Isometric Cervical Exercises on Pain, Strength, Flexibility, Disability and Quality of Life in Patients With Cervical Disc Herniation
Effect of Body Mind Exercises and Specific Neck Exercises in Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain
Who cites it
33 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 78 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of the pilates method in patients with chronic neck pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy in the management of neck pain.Lasers in medical science · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Summarizing the effects of different exercise types in chronic neck pain - a systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2023Pooled it
- mHealth Intervention for Improving Pain, Quality of Life, and Functional Disability in Patients With Chronic Pain: Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2023Pooled it
- Physical exercise improved muscle strength and pain on neck and shoulder in military pilots.Frontiers in physiology · 2022Pooled it
- Efficacy of Fu's Subcutaneous Needling for chronic non-specific neck pain and its effect on muscle elasticity: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Trial
- Synchronous and asynchronous telerehabilitation methods produce similar benefits in individuals with non-specific neck pain.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2024Trial
- Therapeutic routine with respiratory exercises improves posture, muscle activity, and respiratory pattern of patients with neck pain: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2022Trial
- The efficacy of strength exercise dosage on pain and disability in people with low back pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Review
- Consensus-based dosage recommendations for sensorimotor training in the management of neck pain: a Delphi study.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2026Article
- Observational
- Article
- Co-development of an evidence-informed, theoretically driven exercise programme for people with chronic non-specific neck pain (the EPIC-Neck programme - "Exercise Prescription Improved through Co-design").BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Article
- Article
- The Effect of Tissue Stretching and Release Strategies on Neck Muscles Fatigue and Pain Intensity in Office Workers Affected by Chronic Neck Pain: A Rater-Blind, Semi-Experimental Study.Health science reports · 2025Article
- Co-designed neck exercise (EPIC-Neck) vs usual exercise care for people with chronic non-specific neck pain: protocol for a randomised feasibility study with process evaluation.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- Influence of cervical muscle strength and pain severity on functional balance and limits of stability in elderly individuals with chronic nonspecific neck pain: a cross-sectional study.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- Impact of heart rate variability-based exercise prescription: self-guided by technology and trainer-guided exercise in sedentary adults.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundClinical guidelines make vague recommendations as to exercise training (ET) type and dosage to manage chronic non-specific neck pain (CNSNP).
objectiveTo synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of different ET programmes to reduce CNSNP and associated disability, and whether dosage affects outcomes.
methodsA systematic review and data synthesis was conducted according to a published registered protocol (PROSPERO CRD42018096187). A sensitive topic-based search was conducted of CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PEDro, grey literature sources and key journals from inception to 6th January 2020 for randomised controlled trials, investigating ET for CNSNP or disability. Two reviewers independently completed eligibility screening, data extraction, risk of bias assessment (Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool) and rated the overall strength of evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Data was tabulated for narrative synthesis and grouped by intervention, outcome and time point to compare across studies.
resultsTwenty-six trials from 3990 citations (n = 2288 participants) investigated fifteen ET programmes. High RoB and low sample sizes reduced evidence quality. Clinical heterogeneity prevented meta-analyses. A range of ET programmes reduce pain/disability in the short term (low to moderate evidence). Pillar exercises reduce pain/disability in the intermediate term (low level evidence). Moderate to very large pain reduction is found with ET packages that include motor control + segmental exercises (low to moderate evidence). No high-quality trials investigated long term outcomes. Increased frequency of motor control exercises and progressively increased load of pillar exercise may improve effectiveness.
conclusionsMotor control + segmental exercises are the most effective ET to reduce short term pain/disability, but long-term outcomes have not been investigated. Optimal motor control + segmental exercise variables and dosage is unknown and requires clarification. An adequately powered, low RoB trial is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and optimal dosage of motor control + segmental on long term outcomes.
trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42018096187.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.