TABLE 1.
Randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of traditional Chinese exercises for neck pain.
| Study | Sample size | Mean age (years) | Duration (weeks) | Follow-up (weeks) | Main outcomes | Experimental group intervention | Control group intervention |
| Traditional Chinese exercises alone for neck pain | |||||||
| von Trott et al. (2009), United States | 38 39 40 | 75.9 ± 7.6 76.0 ± 7.2 75.7 ± 7.6 | 12 | 24 | VAS, NPAD, ADS, SF-36 | Qigong (45 min/session, 24 sessions, 12 weeks) | (1) Exercise (45 min/session, 24 sessions, 12 weeks) (2) Waiting list |
| Rendant et al. (2011), United States | 42 39 41 | 44.7 ± 10.8 44.4 ± 10.9 47.8 ± 10.3 | 24 | / | VAS, NPAD, SF-36 | Tai Chi (18 sessions, 24 weeks) | (1) Exercise (18 sessions, 24 weeks) (2) Waiting list |
| Lin (2015), China | 25 25 | 40.33 ± 7.33 39.98 ± 8.34 | 10 | 24 | VAS, NPQ, ROM | Traditional Chinese exercises (80 min/session, 50–60 sessions, 10 weeks) | Tuina (60 min/session, 40 sessions, 10 weeks) |
| Lauche et al. (2016), Germany | 38 39 37 | 52.0 ± 10.9 49.2 ± 11.7 47.0 ± 12.3 | 12 | 24 | VAS, NDI, SF-36, HADS FEW-16, PSS, PAS, MAIA | Tai Chi (75–90 min/session, 12 sessions, 12 weeks) | (1) Exercise (60–75 min/week, 12 sessions, 12 weeks) (2) Waiting list |
| Zhou et al. (2017), China | 32 33 | 59.71 ± 4.84 60.12 ± 4.56 | 10 | / | NDI | Five-animal exercises (40 min/session, 30 sessions, 10 weeks) | Traction (20 min/session, 30 sessions, 10 weeks) |
| Traditional Chinese exercises as complementary therapy for neck pain | |||||||
| Xiao et al. (2003), China | 26 18 | 52 50 | 30 days | / | VAS | Traditional Chinese exercises (30–40 min/session, 60 sessions, 30 days) plus Chinese herb (2 sessions/days, 60 sessions, 30 days) | Chinese herb (2 sessions/days, 60 sessions, 30 days) |
| He (2014), China | 30 30 | 43.23 ± 8.01 41.5 ± 7.45 | 12 | / | VAS, NDI, SAS, SDS | Baduanjin (50–60 min/session, 84 sessions, 12 weeks) plus Tuina (40 min/session, 10 sessions, 2 weeks) | Tuina (40 min/session, 10 sessions, 2 weeks) |
| Hu et al. (2014), China | 125 125 | 44.55 ± 12.42 45.02 ± 12.2 | 24 | / | VAS, NDI, SF-36 | Traditional Chinese exercises (40 min/session, 12 sessions, 12 weeks) | Waiting-list |
| Cai et al. (2015), China | 30 30 | 50.8 ± 8.0 49.9 ± 8.0 | 60 days | / | VAS | Baduanjin (30 min/session, 120 sessions, 60 days) plus medicine, traction, and physical therapy (15–20 min/session, 120 sessions, 60 days) | Medicine, traction, and physical therapy (15–20 min/session, 120 sessions, 60 days) |
| Feng and Qin (2017), China | 50 50 50 | 45.55 ± 7.33 50.22 ± 4.68 48.67 ± 6.56 | 4 | 12 | VAS | Baduanjin (20 min/session, 48 sessions, 4 weeks) plus massage (20 min/session, 24 sessions, 4 weeks) | (1) Massage (20 min/session, 24 sessions, 4 weeks) (2) Massage (20 min/session, 24 sessions, 4 weeks) plus exercise (10 min/session, 48 sessions, 4 weeks) |
| Cai et al. (2018), China | 36 33 | 57.49 ± 6.13 55.26 ± 4.75 | 24 | / | NPQ, NPRS, PCS, MCS | Baduanjin (30 min/session, 240 sessions, 24 weeks) plus education (2 sessions, 24 weeks) | Education (2 sessions, 24 weeks) |
| Zheng (2018), China | 30 30 | 45.32 ± 6.11 46.19 ± 6.39 | 12 | / | VAS, ROM | Yijinjing (20 min/session, 144 sessions, 12 weeks) plus acupuncture (6–12 sessions) | Acupuncture (6–12 sessions) |
| Jiang et al. (2019), China | 30 30 | 42.87 ± 8.80 44.00 ± 9.54 | 20 days | / | Cervical Arc Chord Distances | Five-animals exercise (2 sessions/day, 40 sessions, 20 days) plus routine rehabilitation (25 min/session, 20 sessions, 20 days) | Routine rehabilitation (25 min/session, 20 sessions, 20 days) |
| Wu et al. (2019), China | 35 33 | 57.80 ± 5.61 56.30 ± 5.32 | 8 | / | NDI, ROM, VAS | Baduanjin (30–40 min/session, 3–5 sessions/week, 8 weeks) plus conventional treatment (8 weeks) | Conventional treatment (8 weeks) |
| Chen et al. (2020), China | 48 46 | 38.7 ± 8.4 40.5 ± 8.6 | 12 | / | VAS, PPI | Qigong (30 min/session, 60 sessions, 12 weeks) plus acupuncture (4 weeks) | Acupuncture (4 weeks) |
| Huang et al. (2020), China | 24 24 | 38.97 ± 2.37 40.26 ± 2.09 | 8 | / | VAS, ROM | Baduanjin (10 min/session, 144 sessions, 8 weeks) plus Tuina (20 min/session, 24 sessions, 8 weeks) | Tuina (20 min/session, 24 sessions, 8 weeks) |
| Xie (2020), China | 42 42 | 56.34 ± 6.45 55.98 ± 6.71 | 12 | / | NPQ, MPQ | Baduanjin (5–8 sessions/day, 12 weeks) plus acupuncture (30 min/session, 24 sessions, 12 weeks) and medicine | Acupuncture (30 min/session, 24 sessions, 12 weeks) and medicine |
| Chen (2021), China | 30 30 | 39.27 ± 9.40 40.00 ± 7.89 | 4 | / | VAS, NDI, ROM | Baduanjin (12 sessions, 4 weeks) plus electroacupuncture (20 min/session, 12 sessions, 4 weeks) | Electroacupuncture (20 min/session, 12 sessions, 4 weeks) |
| Xu et al. (2021), China | 30 30 | 54.93 ± 11.21 55.27 ± 9.84 | 4 | / | VAS | Baduanjin (56 sessions, 4 weeks) plus acupuncture (20 min/session, 12 sessions, 4 weeks) | Acupuncture (20 min/session, 12 sessions, 4 weeks) |
| Yang et al. (2021), China | 28 27 | 49.62 ± 7.83 46.45 ± 9.91 | 2 | / | VAS, HAMA | Baduanjin (5 min/session, 42 sessions, 2 weeks) plus physiotherapy and education | Physiotherapy and education |
| Zhang (2021), China | 40 40 | 43.21 ± 6.24 42.42 ± 6.25 | / | / | VAS, PSQI | Baduanjin (40–60 min/session) plus routine rehabilitation | Routine rehabilitation |
ADS, Allgemeine Depressions-skala; FEW-16, Questionnaire for Assessing Subjective Physical Well-being; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HAMA, Hamilton Anxiety Scale; PCS, Physical Component Summary; ROM, Range of Motion; MAIA, Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Instrument; MCS, Mental Component Summary; MPQ, McGill Pain Questionnaire; NDI, Neck Disability Index; NPAD, Neck Pain and Disability Scale; NPQ, Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire; NPRS, Numerical Pain Rating Scale; PAS, Postural Awareness Scale; PPI, Present Pain Intensity; PSS, German Version of the Perceived Stress Scale; PSQI, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; SAS, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale; SDS, Self-rating Depression Scale; SF-36, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.