[Evaluation of the effectiveness of different types of physical exercises for treating non-specific neck pain].

UNLABELLED: Current guidances for the prevention and treatment of non-specific neck pain recommend therapeutic exercise as one of the main methods of its therapy. Existing clinical guidelines provide vague advices on the nature of physical training use for this purpose.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of different types of physical exercises for the treatment and prevention of non-specific neck pain.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

An analysis of publications over the last 10 years, presented in RSCI, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE electronic databases on treatment of non-specific neck pain with therapeutic exercise was performed. The following publications were selected: 22 systematic reviews, 16 meta-analyses and 27 randomized controlled trials involving adults with cervicalgia. The classification of clinical guidelines for usefulness and effectiveness, as well as a scale of evidence levels were used to evaluate the analyzed materials based on the principles of evidence-based medicine.

RESULTS

To evaluate the effectiveness of different types of physical trainings for non-specific neck pain treatment, 9 complexes were selected: exercises for motor activity (motor control) development, strength training, stretching, aerobic training, isometric exercises, pilates, yoga, Chinese health-improving gymnastics and physical rehabilitation using virtual reality. The greatest benefit and effectiveness of therapeutic action have been established in the training of motor control, use of strength and isometric exercises. The results of the evaluation of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials served as the basis for it. Other types of physical exercises used for exercise therapy for non-specific neck pain were also effective, but had a less convincing positive effect.

CONCLUSION

Physical exercises are one of the most useful methods of cervicalgia treatment, thus trainings on motor activity development are the most effective.