Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies
| Reference | Groups | Balance* | n† | Age (years) | Sex(M/F) | BMI (kg/m2) | Parameters of intervention | Outcomes | Test time# | Risk of bias |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kavadar et al (20I5)25 | Gl: CUS G2: sham |
NR | 30 29 |
37.43 35.83 |
6/24 4/25 |
23.9 25.2 |
I.5 W/cm2,I MHz, 6 min, 15 sessions | VAS (rest, activity), PPT, 0–5 scale, BDS | 0, 3 months | Low |
| Ilter et al (20I5)24 | G1: CUS G2: PUS G3: sham |
Exercise | 20 20 20 |
33 32 33 |
8/12 4/16 6/14 |
NR | 1 W/cm2, 3 MHz, 5 min, 10 sessions (within 2 weeks) | VAS (rest, activity), five-step scale, BDS, NHP, NPDS | 0, 6, 12 weeks | Low |
| Manca et al (20I4)23 | G1: CUS G2: sham |
NR | 12 12 |
24.5 26 |
5/7 6/6 |
NR | 1.5 W/cm2, 3 MHz, 12 min, 10 sessions (within 2 weeks) | NRS, PPT, cervical joint ROM | 0, 12 weeks | Low |
| Sarrafzadeh et al (20I2)22 | G1: PUS G2: blank |
NR | 15 15 |
21.47 22.2 |
Only females | 20.5 20.4 |
1.2 W/cm2, 1 MHz, 5 min, six sessions | VAS, PPT, cervical joint ROM | 0 week | Unclear |
| Ay et al (20II)21 | G1: US (unclear mode) G2: sham |
Exercise | 20 20 |
48.8 49.45 |
5/15 4/16 |
NR | 1.5 W/cm2, 1 MHz, 10 min, 15 sessions (within 3 weeks) | VAS, PPT, NPDS, cervical joint ROM, numbers of trigger points | 0 week | Unclear |
| Dündar et al (2010)11 | G1: CUS G2: sham |
Exercise | 28 27 |
36.6 35.8 |
8/20 8/I9 |
NR | 1.5 W/cm2, 1 MHz, 8 min, 15 sessions (within 3 weeks) | VAS (rest, activity), cervical joint ROM, NDl, NHP | 0, 12 weeks | Unclear |
| Aguilera et al (2009)20 | G1: PUS G2: sham |
NR | 22 22 |
39 34.7 |
10/12 10/12 |
NR | 1 W/cm2, 1 MHz, 2 min | PPT, cervical joint ROM, BEA | 0 week | High |
| Srbely et al (2008)19 | Gl: US (unclear mode) G2: sham |
NR | 25 25 |
42.9 48.6 |
10/15 13/12 |
26.4 23.5 |
0.52 W/cm2, I MHz, I0 min | PPT | 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 min | Unclear |
| Gam et al (I998)12 | G1: PUS G2: sham |
Exercise | 18 22 |
39.5 42 |
NR | NR | 3 W/cm2, 100 Hz, 15 min, eight sessions (within 4 weeks) | VAS (rest, activity), numbers of trigger points | 0, 6 weeks | High |
| Lee et al (1997)13 | G1: US (unclear mode) G2: sham |
NR | 26$ | 43.7$ | 12/14$ | NR | 0.5 W/cm2, 6 min | VAS, PPT, cervical joint ROM | 0 week | High |
Notes:
*
All patients accepted usual care, which was balanced between groups.
#
0 means at the end of the treatment.
$
Only data from the whole trial are available.
†
n = number of patients. Age and BMI data are shown as mean.
Abbreviations: BDS, Beck’s depression scale; BEA, basal electrical activity; BMI, body mass index; CUS, continuous ultrasound; F, female; G, group; M, male; NDI, neck disability index; NHP, Nottingham health profile; NPDS, neck pain and disability scale; NR, not reported; NRS, numerical rating scale; PPT, pressure pain threshold; PUS, pulsed ultrasound; ROM, range of motion; US, ultrasound; VAS, visual analog scale.