Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review
Abstract 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...
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-025-08916-1 |
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| author | Norollah Javdaneh AmirHossein Barati Sadredin Shojaedin Roohollah Mohammadi Mirzaei |
| author_facet | Norollah Javdaneh AmirHossein Barati Sadredin Shojaedin Roohollah Mohammadi Mirzaei |
| author_sort | Norollah Javdaneh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dc7ad18ac4dc473d8591af01452eb52d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2474 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| spelling | doaj-art-dc7ad18ac4dc473d8591af01452eb52d2025-08-20T03:50:11ZengBMCBMC Musculoskeletal Disorders1471-24742025-07-0126111710.1186/s12891-025-08916-1Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic reviewNorollah Javdaneh0AmirHossein Barati1Sadredin Shojaedin2Roohollah Mohammadi Mirzaei3Department of Biomechanics and Sport Injuries, Kharazmi UniversityDepartment of Health and Exercise Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of TehranDepartment of Biomechanics and Sport Injuries, Kharazmi UniversityDepartment of physical education, Farhangian UniversityAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-025-08916-1Cervical spineChronic neck painScapular dyskinesiaScapular alignmentRehabilitationPhysiotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Norollah Javdaneh AmirHossein Barati Sadredin Shojaedin Roohollah Mohammadi Mirzaei Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Cervical spine Chronic neck pain Scapular dyskinesia Scapular alignment Rehabilitation Physiotherapy |
| title | Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review |
| title_full | Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review |
| title_fullStr | Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review |
| title_short | Is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia? A systematic review |
| title_sort | is chronic neck pain related to scapular dyskinesia a systematic review |
| topic | Cervical spine Chronic neck pain Scapular dyskinesia Scapular alignment Rehabilitation Physiotherapy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-025-08916-1 |
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