title: Psychological Care, Patient Education, Orthotics, Ergonomics and Prevention Strategies for Neck Pain: An Systematic Overview Update as Part of the ICON Project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct an overview on psychological interventions, orthoses, patient education, ergonomics, and 1⁰/2⁰ neck pain prevention for adults with acute-chronic neck pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computerized databases and grey literature were searched (2006-2012).
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on pain, function/disability, global perceived effect, quality-of-life and patient satisfaction were retrieved.
  Two independent authors selected articles, assessed risk of bias using AMSTAR tool and extracted data. The GRADE tool was used to evaluate the body of evidence and an external panel to provide critical review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We retrieved 30 reviews (5-9 AMSTAR score) reporting on 75 RCTs with the following moderate GRADE evidence. For acute whiplash associated disorder (WAD), an education video in emergency rooms (1RCT, 405participants] favoured pain reduction at long-term follow-up thus helping 1 in 23 people [Standard Mean Difference: -0.44(95%CI: -0.66 to -0.23)). Use of a soft collar (2RCTs, 1278participants) was not beneficial in the long-term. For chronic neck pain, a mind-body intervention (2RCTs, 1 meta-analysis, 191participants) improved short-term pain/function in 1 of 4 or 6 participants. In workers, 2-minutes of daily scapula-thoracic endurance training (1RCT, 127participants) over 10 weeks was beneficial in 1 of 4 participants. A number of psychosocial interventions, workplace interventions, collar use and self-management educational strategies were not beneficial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moderate evidence exists for quantifying beneficial and non-beneficial effects of a limited number of interventions for acute WAD and chronic neck pain. Larger trials with more rigorous controls need to target promising interventions.
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada;
authors.forename: Anita R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Faith
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Mahweesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: P Lina
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Santaguida
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Carlesso
authors.forename: Joy C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Macdermid
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kenardy
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Söderlund
authors.forename: Arianne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hartvigsen
keywords: education; ergonomics; neck pain.; orthotics; overview; prevention; psychological