Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35144583›Full record

SynthesisBMC musculoskeletal disorders2022

Measurement properties of smartphone applications for the measurement of neck range of motion: a systematic review and meta analyses.

E Elgueta-Cancino, K Rice, D Abichandani, D Falla

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Effect of Global Postural Re-Education in Individuals With Text Neck Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

E Elgueta-CancinoCentre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
K RiceCentre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
D AbichandaniDivision of Physiotherapy, Institute of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University, London, UK.
D FallaCentre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. d.falla@bham.ac.uk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSmartphone applications offer an accessible and practical option to measure neck range of motion (ROM) and are becoming more commonly used in clinical practice. We assessed the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of smartphone applications (apps) to measure neck ROM in people with and without neck pain.

methodsA comprehensive electronic search strategy of the main electronic databases was conducted from inception until June 2021. The identified studies investigated apps which measured neck ROM, and evaluated their validity, reliability, or responsiveness, in adult participants with neck pain or asymptomatic individuals. Two independent reviewers determined eligibility and risk of bias following COSMIN guidelines. The quality of evidence was assessed according to the GRADE approach.

resultsEleven studies, with a total of 376 participants were included. Three types of apps were identified: clinometer apps, compass apps, and other apps of 'adequate' to 'doubtful' risk of bias. A meta-analysis revealed 'good' to 'excellent' intra-rater and inter-rater reliability across the three types of apps. The overall validity was rated from 'moderate' to 'very high' across all apps. The level of evidence was rated as 'low' to 'very low'.

conclusionSmartphone applications showed sufficient intra-rater reliability, inter-rater reliability, and validity to measure neck ROM in people with and without neck pain. However, the quality of evidence and the confidence in the findings are low. High-quality research with large sample sizes is needed to further provide evidence to support the measurement properties of smartphone applications for the assessment of neck ROM. STUDY REGISTRATION: Following indications of Prisma-P guidelines, this protocol was registered in PROSPERO on 1/05/2021 with the number CRD42021239501.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsSmartphoneAdultHumansNeckRange of Motion, ArticularReproducibility of ResultsCervical spineMovementNeck painRange of motionReliabilityValidity

Identifiers

PMID35144583
PMCPMC8832814

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.