Introduction: Nonspecific upper back pain may be caused by mechanical disorders, neck deformities, and/or myofascial disorders. Chronic pain is defined as persistent upper back discomfort lasting longer than twelve weeks. Non-specific pain is defined as pain without signs or symptoms of major structural pathology. It can be treated conservatively with education, pain-relieving therapy with manual therapy, and manual therapy in combination with other treatments such as exercise. Purpose: Based on a literature review, the effects of manual therapy on general health status, pain, range of motion, functional capacity, dynamic balance, and muscle strength in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain are presented and analysed. Methods: Literature published after 2010 was searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and PEDro databases and by searching the references of published literature reviews. Results: Eleven studies that were available in full text were included in the analysis. The results provide evidence for the effects of manual therapy on pain reduction and increase in range of motion. Evidence for the effectiveness of manual therapy in improving general health and dynamic balance is unclear. Manual therapy was not effective in improving muscle performance. Discussion and Conclusion: Most of the studies reviewed examined manual therapy in combination with other treatments. Further studies are needed to determine the individual effectiveness of manual therapy and its long-term effects.
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