Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND

research indicates that individuals with chronic neck pain often exhibit scapular dyskinesia, leading to negative effects on pain intensity, posture, and muscle activation pattern, However, the role of scapular dyskinesia in mechanical neck pain remains enigmatic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relevance between chronic neck pain and scapular dyskinesia.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the adapted Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, and the grey literature were searched from inception to June 2024. GRADE criteria were used to evaluate the overall quality and strength of evidence.

RESULTS

19 articles (3 case control; 16 cross-sectional studies, total sample = 1365) were included. Based on the NOS, of the 19 studies examined, 14 (73%) were found to have a moderate risk of bias, 3 study (15%) had a low risk and 2 study (10%) had a high risk of bias. Studies have shown that there is a relationship between chronic neck pain and scapular dyskinesia, indicating that individuals with chronic neck pain exhibit a higher prevalence of scapular dyskinesis compared to those without such symptoms. However, the quality and strength of the evidence was very low according to the GRADE criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

The study implies that physical therapy practices should consider assessing and addressing scapular kinematics in patients with neck pain, as scapular dysfunction may contribute to their symptoms. Understanding the relationship between neck pain and scapular mechanics may inform more effective treatment strategies and individualized care plans. However, the overall quality of the evidence was low. More longitudinal cohort studies are needed. Future studies should investigate the causal relationship between chronic neck pain and scapular dyskinesia.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42024554365.