Neck Pain
Neck pain is a common problem, but the effectiveness of frequently applied conservative therapies has never been directly compared. For some nagging neck pain, so-called manual therapy may be more effective than exercise, painkillers and other standard treatments.
This "hands-on" technique, in which the neck is adjusted to improve mobility, worked better than exercise therapy by a physical therapist or routine care from a general practitioner for patients with neck pain due to muscle or joint strain.
In daily practice, manual therapy with specific adjustments is a favorable treatment option for patients with neck pain compared with physical therapy or continued care by a general practitioner.
Ann Intern Med 2002 May 21;136(10):713-22
Predictive Factors for Neck and Shoulder Pain:
A Longitudinal Study in Young Adults
Spine 2004 (Aug 1); 29 (15): 1662—1669
This random sample of 826 high school students was investigated when they were 15 to 18 years old, and again at 22 to 25 years of age, to estimate the prevalence and incidence of neck and shoulder pain in young adults, and to identify the associated and predictive factors of neck and shoulder pain based on a 7-year follow-up. In 7 years, the prevalence of weekly neck and shoulder pain increased from 17% to 28%. Among those who were asymptomatic at baseline, 6-month incidence of occasional or weekly neck and shoulder pain was 59% 7 years later. In young adults, the incidence of neck and shoulder pain is high, and the associated factors of neck and shoulder pain are already multifactorial in a young population. There are more articles like this in the Shoulder Page.
