The effectiveness of aerobic exercise on pain and disability in individuals with neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Study Summary

6 studies involving 445 patients with neck pain were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing aerobic exercise with no treatment, strengthening exercise, education, or other active therapies. Pooled outcomes of interest included pain intensity and neck disability, while individual studies also evaluated physical function, global improvement, work ability, quality of life, and emotional functioning. Aerobic exercise alone did not significantly improve pain compared with no treatment, while strengthening exercise provided greater short-term pain reduction. However, adding aerobic exercise to strengthening or acupuncture significantly improved pain compared with these therapies alone. Overall, aerobic exercise may be most useful as an additional treatment, although the evidence is limited by low to very low certainty and substantial clinical heterogeneity.