Table 3.

Summary findings for MT1-4 combined or not with exercise and/or usual medical care for neck pain. Strength of new evidence is shown in italic text. Upgrade of previous evidence is shown in classical text [75, 94, 56]

For acute/subacute neck pain
Categories of MT interventions vs comparison group	Quality of evidence (A high; B moderate)	Strength of evidence for interventions
MT1-upper Cx with Exercise vs MT1-Tx with Exercise	1 RCT, Level A, $n=$ 24
Puentedura et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT1-Cx with Exercise in comparison to MT1-Tx with Exercise for pain and function at very short, short term and intermediate-term (6 months)
MT1-Tx with Electro/thermal therapy vs electro thermal therapy alone	2 RCT, Level A, $n=$ 90
Gonzalez-Iglesias et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT1 combined with electro/thermal therapy in comparison to electro/thermal therapy alone for pain and function at very short- and short term
MT2 (STT: MET $+$ trigger and tender points on trapezius) vs MT2 (only MET on trapezius)	1 RCT, Level A, $n=$ 60
Nagrale et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT2 using MET combined with trigger and tender points in comparaison to MET alone for pain and function at short term
MT2 (trigger points therapy) vs SUS	2 RCT, Level A, $n=$ 90
Blikstad and Gemmell
Gemmell et al.	MODERATE evidence of no difference between MT2 using trigger points and SUS for pain and function at very short term
MT3 (MT1-Tx and MT2-Cx) with Exercise vs MT2-Cx (accessory mobilization) with Exercise	1 RCT, level A, $n=$ 64
Masaracchio et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT3 with Exercise in comparison of MT2 (accessory mobilization) with Exercises alone for pain and function at short term
MT3 on Cx-Tx and home Exercise vs UMC	2 RCT, level A, $n=$ 272
Bronfort et al.
Leininger et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT3 and home Exercise groups in comparison of UMC for pain and satisfaction with care at post treatment, short and intermediate term
MT2-Cx (accessory mobilization) with Exercise vs MT4-Cx (SNAGs) with Exercise vs Exercise alone	1 RCT, level B, $n=$ 80
Ganesh et al.	LIMITED evidence of no difference of efficacy between groups on pain and function
For chronic neck pain
Categories of MT interventions vs. comparison group	Quality of evidence (A high; B moderate)	Strength of evidence for interventions
MT1-Cx vs MT2-Cx (accessory mobilization) vs MT4-Cx (SNAGs)	1 RCT Level A, $n=$ 61
Izquierdo-Pérez et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT1 in comparison to MT4for active CROM in extension, immediately after treatment and during the 3 months follow-up MODERATE evidence of no difference of efficacy for all other outcome measures (pain, function) between groups
MT1-Cx vs MT2-Cx (accessory mobilization) vs MT4-Cx	1 RCT Level A, $n=$ 48
Lopez et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT1 and MT2 in comparison to MT4 only for pain at rest just after interventions
MODERATE evidence of no difference between groups on all other outcome measures (pain and function)
MT1-Cx vs MT1-Tx	1 RCT Level A, $n=$ 90
Martinez-Segura et al.	MODERATE evidence of no difference between groups for pain, CROM and PPT
MT1 on Cx-Tx vs Kinésiotape	1 RCT Level A, $n=$ 80
Saavedra-Hernandez et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT1 only for CROM rotations
MODERATE evidence of no difference between groups on pain and function
MT3 on Cx-Tx with Sham electrotherapy vs MT3 with Exercise vs MedX (high dose of exercise with specific devices)	1 RCT Level A, $n=$ 191
Bronfort et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT3 with Exercise and MedX groups in comparison to MT3 alone for pain and function at long term.
MT1-Tx with IRR and home Exercise vs IRR and home Exercise	1 RCT Level A, $n=$ 120
Lau et al.
	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT1 with IRR and home Exercise for pain, disability, overall improvement and function for immediately post treatment which remained up to 6-months
MT1 on Cx-Tx with Exercise vs high dose of Exercise vs. HEA	1 RCT Level A, $n=$ 270
Evans et al.	MODERATE evidence in favor of MT1 with Exercise and high dose of Exercise groups in comparison to HEA group for pain, satisfaction and global perceived effect at 12 weeks
MT2-Cx (accessory mobilization) on symptomatic level(s) vs MT2-Cx (accessory mobilization) on random and/or asymptomatic level(s)	3 RCT level A, $n=$ 234
Kanlayanaphotporn et al. ; Aquino et al.  and Schomacher et al.	STRONG evidence of no difference between groups for pain and function