***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Background Neck pain is a common problem and different forms of manual therapy are used in its treatment . The purpose of this systematic review was to critically appraise the literature that directly compared manipulation , mobilisation and the Activator instrument for non-specific neck pain . Methods Electronic data bases ( MEDLINE , MANTIS and CINAHL ) were search ed from their inception to October 2005 for all English language r and omised clinical trials that directly compared manipulation , mobilisation and the Activator instrument . Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select the studies and these studies were then evaluated using vali date d criteria . Results Five such studies were identified . The method ological quality was mostly poor . Findings from the studies were mixed and no one therapy was shown to be more effective than the others . Conclusion Further high quality research has to be done before a recommendation can be made as to the most effective manual method for non-specific neck pain OBJECTIVE --To assess the long term effect of early mobilisation exercises in patients with acute sprains of the neck after road accidents . DESIGN --Single blind r and omised prospect i ve study of patients receiving physiotherapy , advice on mobilisation , or on an initial period of rest followed up after two years by postal question naire . SETTING --Accident and emergency department in urban hospital . PATIENTS --247 Consecutive patients ( mean age at injury 30.6 years ) presenting within 48 hours after injury with no pre-existing disease of the neck or serious skeletal injury . Of these , 167 patients responded to the question naire ; 77 who responded but had not completed their treatment or review course were included in the analysis as a fourth group ( non-attenders ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE -- Presence of symptoms after two years . RESULTS --Of the 167 patients ( 68 % ) responding , the percentage of patients still with symptoms was not significantly different in those receiving rest or physiotherapy ( 46 % , 12/26 v 44 % , 24/54 ) , but that in those receiving advice on early mobilisation was significantly lower ( 23 % , 11/48 , p = 0.02 ) . Of the 104 patients without symptoms , 94 ( 90 % ) recovered within six months and 62 ( 60 % ) within three months . Patients without symptoms who received advice or physiotherapy wore a collar  for a significantly shorter time than those with persistent symptoms ( mean duration 1.4 ( SD 0.7 ) months v 2.8 ( 1.6 ) months , p = 0.005 and 1.6 ( 1.1 ) months v 1.8 ( 1.3 ) months , p = 0.006 respectively ) . CONCLUSIONS --Advice to mobilise in the early phase after neck injury reduces the number of patients with symptoms at two years and is superior to manipulative physiotherapy . Prolonged wearing of a collar is associated with persistence of symptoms BACKGROUND Spinal pain is common and frequently disabling . Management guidelines have encouraged referral from primary care for spinal manipulation . However , the evidence base for these recommendations is weak . More pragmatic trials and economic evaluations have been recommended . OBJECTIVES Our aim was to assess the effectiveness and health care costs of a practice -based osteopathy clinic for subacute spinal pain . METHODS A pragmatic r and omized controlled trial was carried out in a primary care osteopathy clinic accepting referrals from 14 neighbouring practice s in North West Wales . A total of 201 patients with neck or back pain of 2 - 12 weeks duration were allocated at r and om between usual GP care and an additional three sessions of osteopathic spinal manipulation . The primary outcome measure was the Extended Aberdeen Spine Pain Scale ( EASPS ) . Secondary measures included SF-12 , EuroQol and Short-form McGill Pain Question naire . Health care costs were estimated from the records of referring GPs . RESULTS Outcomes improved more in the osteopathy group than the usual care group . At 2 months , this improvement was significantly greater in EASPS [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 0.7 - 9.8 ] and SF-12 mental score ( 95 % CI 2.7 - 10.7 ) . At 6 months , this difference was no longer significant for EASPS ( 95 % CI -1.5 to 10.4 ) , but remained significant for SF-12 mental score ( 95 % CI 1.0 - 9.9 ) . Mean health care costs attributed to spinal pain were significantly greater by 65 UK pounds in the osteopathy group ( 95 % CI 32 - 155 UK pounds ) . Though osteopathy also cost 22 UK pounds more in mean total health care cost , this was not significant ( 95 % CI - 159 to 142 UK pounds ) . CONCLUSION A primary care osteopathy clinic improved short-term physical and longer term psychological outcomes , at little extra cost . Rigorous multicentre studies are now needed to assess the generalizability of this approach Generalized shoulder pain is a common problem that is difficult to treat and frequently recurrent . The asymptomatic cervical spine must be ruled out as a cause of any shoulder pain , as it can have a similar presentation to an isolated shoulder disorder . Previous studies have shown that lateral cervical glide mobilizations to the asymptomatic cervical spine at C5/6 can affect peripheral pain , but none have examined shoulder pain . A r and omized , blinded , placebo-controlled , cross-over trial was used to examine the immediate effects of cervical lateral glide mobilizations on pain intensity and shoulder abduction painful arc in subjects with shoulder pain . Twenty-one subjects received interventions of both cervical mobilization and placebo over two sessions . Pain intensity using a visual analog scale ( VAS ) and painful arc were assessed prior to and following application of cervical mobilization or placebo intervention . Evaluation of cervical mobilization revealed the shoulder abduction painful arc ( 12.5 degrees + /-15.6 degrees , p=0.002 ) and shoulder pain intensity ( 1.3+/-1.1 cm , p<0.001 ) were significantly decreased . The results of this study suggest that any immediate change in shoulder pain or active shoulder range of motion following cervical mobilizations indicate that treatment directed toward the asymptomatic cervical spine may expedite recovery Study Design . A question naire was mailed to 3000 r and omly selected 35‐45‐year‐old individuals in three communities in central Sweden . Objectives . To study the 1‐year prevalence of spinal pain and its ramifications in the form of pain , function , sick leave , and health care use . Summary of Background Data . Previous research ers have used a variety of definitions and population s , but primarily have investigated the occurrence of pain . Comprehensive data are needed concerning health care use , the degree of the pain problem , functional disturbances , and sick leave . Method . Participants in the study completed a question naire regarding spinal pain during the past year including the degree of their experienced pain , functional impairment , lost work days , and health care use . Results . A total of 2305 people ( 78.5 % ) responded to the question naire . Nonrespondents had similar characteristics but a slightly lower 1‐year prevalence rate than did respondents . For respondents , the prevalence of spinal pain during the past year was 66.3 % , with women having a slightly higher prevalence than men . Approximately 25 % of the respondents indicated that they had a substantial problem based on ratings of pain , functional impairment , and sick leave . Work absenteeism reported to the Public Social Insurance Office involved 19 % of those with pain , but an additional 15 % indicated unreported absenteeism . On average , those with pain visited health care providers three times during the past year , but a small number of those who experienced pain consumed large amounts of health care and illness benefits . An important gender difference was shown , such that when pain was at its worst , men took sick leave , whereas women sought health care . Conclusions . Taken together , these data indicate that spinal pain is common among 35‐45‐year‐old men and ‐ women , and that it is related to marked problems for approximately one fourth of those who experience pain . Gender differences exist in the pattern of sick leave and health care use , and a small proportion of those with pain consume very large amounts of the re sources . Consequently , there is a need for early , effective , preventive treatments OBJECTIVE To study the effect of manual therapy and stretching on neck function in women with chronic neck pain . METHODS A total of 125 women were r and omized into 2 groups . Group 1 received manual therapy twice a week for 4 weeks followed by stretching exercises . Group 2 performed stretching 5 times a week for 4 weeks followed by manual therapy .  Neck function was assessed by isometric neck strength and mobility measurements , and spontaneous neck pain during the past week and strain-evoked pain during the neck strength trials using a visual analogue scale . RESULTS Both neck muscle strength ( 11 - 14 % ) and mobility ( 7 - 15 % ) improved similarly in both groups , with the exception of greater passive flexion-extension mobility ( p = 0.019 ) in group 1 at week 4 . Pain during the neck strength trials decreased from the baseline to week 4 by 26 - 35 % and to week 12 by 39 - 61 % similarly in both groups . Average neck pain during the past week decreased by 64 % and 53 % in groups 1 and 2 , respectively , during the first 4 weeks , remaining rather stable thereafter . The decreases in neck pain during both the past week and strength trials showed association with the changes in neck strength results ( r = 0.20 - 0.29 ) . CONCLUSION Both manual therapy and stretching were effective short-term treatments for reducing both spontaneous and strain-evoked pain in patients with chronic neck pain . It is possible that the decrease in pain reduced inhibition of the motor system and in part improved neck function . However , the changes in neck muscle strength were minor , showing that these treatments alone are not effective in improving muscle strength Objectives The authors ' goals were to compare the effectiveness of manual therapy ( MT ; mainly spinal mobilization ) , physical therapy ( PT ; mainly exercise therapy ) , and continued care by the general practitioner ( GP ; analgesics , counseling and education ) over a period of 1 year . Methods One hundred eighty-three patients suffering for at least 2 weeks from nonspecific neck pain were r and omized to receive a 6-week treatment strategy of MT once a week , PT twice a week , or GP care once every 2 weeks . The primary outcome measures were perceived recovery , severity of physical dysfunctioning , pain intensity , and functional disability . Results The differences between groups considered over 1 year were statistically significant ( repeated measurements analyses P<0.001 to P=0.02 ) for all outcomes but borderline for the Neck Disability Index ( P=0.06 ) . Higher improvement scores were observed for MT for all outcomes , followed by PT and GP care . The success rate , based on perceived recovery after 13 weeks , was 72 % for MT , which was significantly higher than the success rate for continued GP care ( 42 % , P=0.001 ) but not significantly higher compared with PT treatment ( 59 % , P=0.16 ) . The difference between PT and GP approached statistical significance ( P=0.06 ) . After 1 year the success rates were 75 % , 63 % , and 56 % , respectively , and no longer significantly different . Conclusions Short-term results ( at 7 weeks ) have shown that MT speeded recovery compared with GP care and , to a lesser extent , also compared with PT . In the long-term , GP treatment and PT caught up with MT , and differences between the three treatment groups decreased and lost statistical significance at the 13-week and 52-week follow-up Abstract The inability to predict outcome in patients with low back/neck pain leads to inappropriate or unnecessary treatment . The aims of the study were to identify prognostic factors for disability at 1‐year follow‐up in patients with back pain visiting primary care , and to compare the effect of these in two treatment strategies – chiropractic and physiotherapy . Data were taken from a r and omised trial on patients with back/neck pain visiting the general practitioner , in which patients were allocated to chiropractic and physiotherapy as primary management .  Three hundred and twenty‐three patients , aged 18–60 years , who had no contraindications to manipulation and who had not been treated within the previous month were included in the study . Multiple regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors . Dependent variables were mean Oswestry score and mean change in Oswestry score at 12‐month follow‐up . The multiple regression analysis revealed five significant ( P<0.001–0.01 ) prognostic factors ; duration of current episode , Oswestry score at entry , expectations of treatment , number of localisations , and well‐being . Besides , the regression coefficients for the significant factors were compared between the two treatment strategies . No significant difference in effect or regression coefficients for the prognostic factors were seen between the two treatment strategies . Twelve per cent of the patients had poor prognostic factors ( duration ≥1 month , more than one localisation , low expectations of treatment and low well‐being ) at entry . These patients had a mean Oswestry score above 20 % at 1‐year follow‐up . Clinical decision models for the management of patients with back pain visiting primary care that consider prognostic factors need to be implemented and prospect ively evaluated Abstract This study examined the effect of translatoric spinal manipulation ( TSM ) on cervical pain and cervical active motion restriction when applied to upper thoracic ( T1-T4 ) segments . Active cervical rotation range of motion was measured re- and post-intervention with a cervical inclinometer ( CROM ) , and cervical pain status was monitored before and after manipulation with a Faces Pain Scale . Study participants included a sample of convenience that included 32 patients referred to physical therapy with complaints of pain in the mid-cervical region and restricted active cervical rotation . Twenty-two 
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MAIN RESULTS We included 27 trials ( 1522 participants ) .Cervical  Manipulation for subacute/chronic neck pain : Moderate quality evidence suggested manipulation and mobilisation produced similar effects on pain , function and patient satisfaction at intermediate-term follow-up .
Thoracic Manipulation for acute/chronic neck pain : Low quality evidence supported thoracic manipulation as an additional therapy for pain reduction ( NNT 7 ; 46.6 % treatment advantage ) and increased function ( NNT 5 ; 40.6 % treatment advantage ) in acute pain and favoured a single session of thoracic manipulation for immediate pain reduction compared to placebo for chronic neck pain ( NNT 5 , 29 % treatment advantage).Mobilisation for subacute/chronic neck pain : In addition to the evidence noted above , low quality evidence for subacute and chronic neck pain indicated that 1 ) a combination of Maitl and mobilisation techniques was similar to acupuncture for immediate pain relief and increased function ; 2 ) there was no difference between mobilisation and acupuncture as additional treatments for immediate pain relief and improved function ; and 3 ) neural dynamic mobilisations may produce clinical ly important reduction of pain immediately post-treatment .
Certain mobilisation techniques were superior .
Cervical manipulation and mobilisation produced similar changes .
Either may provide immediate- or short-term change ; no long-term data are available .
Thoracic manipulation may improve pain and function .