Influence of pain neuroscience education and exercises for the management of neck pain: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND: It is elusive to combine pain neuroscience education with exercises to treat neck pain, and this meta-analysis aims to study the efficacy of pain neuroscience education plus exercises for the treatment of neck pain. METHODS: Several databases including PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases were systemically searched from inception to August 2023, and we included the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of pain neuroscience education plus exercises on the relief of neck pain. RESULTS: We total included 4 eligible RCTs and 246 patients with neck pain in this meta-analysis. Compared with exercise intervention for neck pain, pain neuroscience education plus exercise was associated with remarkably decreased VAS after treatment (MD = -1.12; 95% CI = -1.51 to -0.73; P < .00001), VAS after 3 months (MD = -1.24; 95% CI = -2.26 to -0.22; P = .02), functional disability index (MD = -1.22; 95% CI = -1.46 to -0.97; P < .00001) and pain catastrophizing scale (MD = -4.25; 95% CI = -5.50 to -3.00; P < .00001). CONCLUSIONS: Pain neuroscience education plus exercises is effective for the relief of neck pain.