Review Article

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Efficacy, Cost-Effectiveness, and Safety of Selected Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Neck and Low-Back Pain

Table 11

Summary of findings of combination of manipulation and mobilization for neck pain (only pain and functional outcomes).

Duration and cause of painOutcomesGRADE*Findings

Manipulation + mobilization versus no treatment

Chronic nonspecificPain intensity (VAS score)Low
Design: RCT
ROB: Medium
Consistency: NA (one trial)
Directness: yes
In one trial, spinal manipulation plus mobilization was significantly better in reducing pain intensity and the frequency of headache than no treatment ( ) [160].

Acute/subacute, mixed, unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Manipulation + mobilization versus placebo

Acute/subacute, chronic, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Mixed specific, nonspecificNAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Manipulation + mobilization versus usual care

Acute/subacute, chronic, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Mixed specific/nonspecificNAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Manipulation + mobilization versus physiotherapy

Acute/subacute, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Chronic specificNAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Chronic nonspecificPain intensity score (VAS)Low
Design: RCT
ROB: Medium
Consistency: NA (only 1 trial)
Directness: yes
In one trial [155], the combination of spinal manipulation and mobilization was significantly better than physiotherapy (exercise, massage, heat, electrotherapy, ultrasound, shortwave diathermy) in reducing pain (mean score improvement: 4.5 versus 4.1, ). The long-term results (12 months posttreatment) of the same trial [161] were reported for the combined sample of subjects with low-back and neck pain and therefore are not presented in this review.

Mixed specific, nonspecificNAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Manipulation + mobilization versus exercise

Acute/subacute, mixed, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Chronic specificNAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Chronic nonspecificHeadache frequency (mean number per week)Low
Design: RCT
ROB: Medium
Consistency: NA (only 1 trial)
Directness: yes
In one trial [160, 162], spinal manipulation plus mobilization did not significantly differ from exercise (low load endurance exercises aimed to train muscle control of the cervicoscapular region) in reducing headache frequency immediately ( versus , ) or at intermediate-term posttreatment followup ( versus , ).
Pain intensity score (VAS)Low
Design: RCT
ROB: Medium
Consistency: NA (only 1 trial)
Directness: yes
In one trial [160, 162] spinal manipulation plus mobilization did not significantly differ from exercise (low load endurance exercises aimed to train muscle control of the cervicoscapular region) in reducing pain intensity immediately ( versus , ) or at intermediate-term posttreatment followup ( versus , ).
Disability score (NPQ)Low
Design: RCT
ROB: Medium
Consistency: NA (only 1 trial)
Directness: yes
In one trial [160, 162] spinal manipulation plus mobilization did not significantly differ from exercise (low load endurance exercises aimed to train muscle control of the cervicoscapular region) in reducing disability immediately (mean NPQ score change versus , ) or at intermediate-term posttreatment followup (mean NPQ score change versus , ).

Manipulation + mobilization versus acupuncture

Acute/subacute, chronic, mixed, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Manipulation + mobilization versus manipulation

Acute/subacute, chronic, mixed, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Manipulation + mobilization versus mobilization

Acute/subacute, chronic, mixed, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

Manipulation + mobilization versus medication

Acute/subacute, chronic, mixed, or unknown (specific, nonspecific)NAInsufficient
No trial
NA

*Precision in formal grading was applied only to pooled results.
VAS: visual analog scale; RMDQ: Roland-Morris disability scale; NHP: Nottingham health profile; MPQ: McGill pain questionnaire; PDI: pain disability index; min: minute(s); hr(s): hour(s); L: low; M: medium; H: high; pt(s): patient(s); SF: short form; NPQ: neck pain questionnaire; SF-PQ: short form pain questionnaire; PRI: pain rating index; PPI: present pain intensity; NA: not applicable; NDI: neck disability index; IQR: interquartile range; PPT: pressure pain threshold; OR: odds ratio; 95% CI: ninety-five percent confidence interval.