TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical Therapist Interventions to Reduce Headache Intensity, Frequency, and Duration in Patients With Cervicogenic Headache
T2 - A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
AU - Jung, Andres
AU - Carvalho, Gabriela F.
AU - Szikszay, Tibor M.
AU - Pawlowsky, Vera
AU - Gabler, Tom
AU - Luedtke, Kerstin
N1 - © The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Physical Therapy Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].
PY - 2024/1
Y1 - 2024/1
N2 - Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of physical therapist interventions on the intensity, frequency, and duration of headaches, as well as on the quality of life of patients with cervicogenic headache. Methods. The following databases were searched up to October 2022: Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of physical therapist interventions on adults with cervicogenic headache were included. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Cochrane risk of bias 2.0 tool and the Confidence in Network Meta-analysis web app. Synthesis methods were conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook. Results. Of the 28 identified reports, 23 were included in the quantitative synthesis. Manipulation plus dry needling was the highest-ranked intervention to reduce the short-term headache intensity (mean difference [MD] = -4.87; 95% CI =-8.51 to -1.24) and frequency (MD =-3.09; 95% CI =-4.93 to -1.25) when compared to a control intervention. Other high-ranked and clinically effective interventions (when compared to a control intervention) were muscle–energy technique plus exercise (MD = 4.37; 95% CI = -8.01 to -0.74), as well as soft tissue techniques plus exercise (MD = -3.01; 95% CI= -5.1 to -0.92) to reduce short-term headache intensity, and dry needling plus exercise (MD = -2.92; 95% CI =-4.73 to -1.11) to reduce short-term headache frequency. These results were based on a low certainty of evidence. Conclusion. The 4 most highly ranked interventions can be considered in clinical practice. However, no conclusive recommendation can be made due to the low certainty of evidence. Impact. Combined interventions such as spinal joint manipulation plus dry needling and muscle–energy technique or soft tissue techniques or dry needling plus exercises seem to be the best interventions to reduce short-term cervicogenic headache intensity and/or frequency.
AB - Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of physical therapist interventions on the intensity, frequency, and duration of headaches, as well as on the quality of life of patients with cervicogenic headache. Methods. The following databases were searched up to October 2022: Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of physical therapist interventions on adults with cervicogenic headache were included. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Cochrane risk of bias 2.0 tool and the Confidence in Network Meta-analysis web app. Synthesis methods were conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook. Results. Of the 28 identified reports, 23 were included in the quantitative synthesis. Manipulation plus dry needling was the highest-ranked intervention to reduce the short-term headache intensity (mean difference [MD] = -4.87; 95% CI =-8.51 to -1.24) and frequency (MD =-3.09; 95% CI =-4.93 to -1.25) when compared to a control intervention. Other high-ranked and clinically effective interventions (when compared to a control intervention) were muscle–energy technique plus exercise (MD = 4.37; 95% CI = -8.01 to -0.74), as well as soft tissue techniques plus exercise (MD = -3.01; 95% CI= -5.1 to -0.92) to reduce short-term headache intensity, and dry needling plus exercise (MD = -2.92; 95% CI =-4.73 to -1.11) to reduce short-term headache frequency. These results were based on a low certainty of evidence. Conclusion. The 4 most highly ranked interventions can be considered in clinical practice. However, no conclusive recommendation can be made due to the low certainty of evidence. Impact. Combined interventions such as spinal joint manipulation plus dry needling and muscle–energy technique or soft tissue techniques or dry needling plus exercises seem to be the best interventions to reduce short-term cervicogenic headache intensity and/or frequency.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85186578873&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/ba39112c-f0ef-37db-969b-665c3c82e428/
U2 - 10.1093/ptj/pzad154
DO - 10.1093/ptj/pzad154
M3 - Scientific review articles
C2 - 37941472
AN - SCOPUS:85186578873
SN - 0031-9023
VL - 104
JO - Physical Therapy
JF - Physical Therapy
IS - 2
ER -
