Join our mailing list
If you’d like to hear more about Moving Medicine and receive notifications on updates, please sign up below.
Evidence Summary (Updated 2022)
There is moderate quality evidence that physical activity and exercise interventions may improves function in patient with neck pain.
Using a standardised exercise programme which includes cervical strengthening, rotations and flexibility has been shown to improve physical function, with a NNT of five. A moderate degree of improved function can be achieved with a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises of the cervical and scapulothoracic muscles immediately post-treatment, at intermediate follow up and at long-term follow up according to a Cochrane review (1).
However a systematic review and network meta-analysis by de Zoete et al comparing physical exercise interventions to controls found no good quality data to support improved physical function in people with chronic neck pain (2).
Patients with cervical radiculopathy were found to have improved function, as measured by the neck disability index (NDI) when comparing exercise interventions to passive controls e.g. wait and see, manual therapy (5).
Quality of Evidence
Grade B – moderate quality
Strength of recommendation
Grade 2 – weak recommendation
Conclusion
Physical activity should be encouraged in those with neck pain, but it is important to include specific stretching and strengthening exercises of the musculature throughout the neck and shoulder.
References
If you’d like to hear more about Moving Medicine and receive notifications on updates, please sign up below.