EFFECTIVENESS OF MOTOR CONTROL EXERCISES IN CHRONIC NONSPECIFIC NECK PAIN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Keywords:
chronic neck pain; motor control; deep cervical flexors; exercise therapy; systematic reviewAbstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/gt.v9i18edespsep.0437
Abstract
Chronic nonspecific neck pain is a frequent cause of disability and health-care utilization. Cervical motor control exercises are intended to improve activation, coordination, and endurance of the deep cervical musculature, although their superiority over other active interventions remains uncertain. This systematic review aimed to determine the effectiveness of cervical motor control exercises on pain and disability in adults with chronic nonspecific or mechanical neck pain. A qualitative systematic review without meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 and a PICOS framework. Previously collected documents were rescreened and an updated search was completed through September 9, 2026, including randomized controlled trials published from 2019 to 2026. Twenty randomized controlled trials involving more than 1,000 participants were included. Interventions comprised deep cervical flexor training, craniocervical flexion, pressure biofeedback, and cervical stabilization exercises. RoB 2 assessment showed low overall risk of bias in one trial and some concerns in the remaining 19 trials. GRADE rated the certainty of evidence as low for pain and disability. Overall findings favored motor control approaches over passive, conventional, or nonspecific care; however, superiority was not consistent when motor control was compared with other well-structured active exercise programs. Improvements were also reported in deep flexor strength or endurance, cervical mobility, posture, and proprioception, although these outcomes were more heterogeneous. Cervical motor control exercise is therefore a useful active option within physiotherapy for chronic neck pain, but current evidence does not support universal superiority over other forms of therapeutic exercise or a single optimal dosage.
Keywords: chronic neck pain; motor control; deep cervical flexors; exercise therapy; systematic review.
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