Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33845880›Full record

Trial reportTrials2021

Adding a smartphone app to global postural re-education to improve neck pain, posture, quality of life, and endurance in people with nonspecific neck pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Fatemeh Abadiyan, Malihe Hadadnezhad, Zohre Khosrokiani, Amir Letafatkar, Haniyeh Akhshik

Expression of concern 2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Trials, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It carries an expression of concern. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 24 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
24citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
8.1field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

NCT07266272 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Influence of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Patients of Mechanical Neck Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorBenha UniversityRan2023 to 2024Enrolled52ConditionsNeck Pain Musculoskeletal, Neck Pain, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, Mechanical Neck PainArmsExtracorporeal Shockwave therapy, Exercise
NCT07528248 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Comparative Effects of Global Postural Re-education and NASM-based Corrective Exercises in Patients With Upper Cross Syndrome (UCS)

TypeinterventionalSponsorRehana HayatRan2026 to 2026Enrolled46ConditionsUpper Cross SyndromeArmsGlobal Postural Re-education, NASM-based Corrective exercises
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

24 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 72 citations in OpenAlex.

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  2. Telerehabilitation for neck pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Fatemeh AbadiyanFaculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Department of Biomechanics and Sport injuries, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
Malihe HadadnezhadFaculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Department of Biomechanics and Sport injuries, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. m.hadadnezhad@yahoo.com.
Zohre KhosrokianiFaculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Department of Biomechanics and Sport injuries, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
Amir LetafatkarFaculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Department of Biomechanics and Sport injuries, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
Haniyeh AkhshikFaculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Department of Biomechanics and Sport injuries, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
Kharazmi University · IR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn this study, the effect of adding a smartphone app to an 8-week global postural reeducation (GPR) on neck pain, endurance, quality of life, and forward head posture (FHP) in patients with chronic neck pain and FHP was evaluated.

methodsSixty male and female office workers (38.5 ± 9.1 years) with chronic neck pain were randomly assigned into three groups: group 1 (GPR+ a smartphone app, n = 20), group 2 (GPR alone, n = 20), and group 3 (the control group, n = 20). The primary outcome was pain and the secondary outcomes were disability, quality of life, endurance, and posture. Pain, disability, endurance, quality of life, and posture were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), progressive iso-inertial lifting evaluation (PILE) test, quality of life questionnaire (SF-36), and photogrammetry, respectively, at pre-and post-8-week interventions. A one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) has been conducted to statistically analyze the data.

resultsThe GPR+ a smartphone app had statistically significant improvements versus GPR alone in pain (mean difference, - 2.05 ± 0.65, ES (95% CI) - 0.50 (- 1.04 to - 0.01), P = 0.04), disability (difference = 11.5 ± 1.2, ES (95% CI) = 0.31 (0.22 to 0.97), p = 0.033), FHP (difference = 1.6 ± 0.2, ES (95% CI) = 0.31 (0.09 to 0.92), p = 0.047), and endurance (difference = 2 ± 3.3, ES (95% CI) = 0.51 (0.02 to 1.03), p = 0.039). Both of the GPR+ a smartphone app and GPR alone groups had statistically significant differences versus the control group in all outcomes.

conclusionWhen a workplace assessment and management could not be as part of any intervention, adding a smartphone app to GPR for NP may be an appropriate tool to administer a home and work exercise program resulting in elevating pain and disability, as well as improving FHP and endurance.

trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials using the UMIN-RCT website UMIN000039720 . Retrospectively registered on January 9, 2020.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsQuality of LifeExercise TherapyFemaleHumansMaleNeck PainPostureSmartphoneDisabilityMusculoskeletal abnormalitiesMusculoskeletal painNeck painPosture

Identifiers

PMID33845880
PMCPMC8042925
OpenAlexW3152530098

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.