Introduction: Neck pain represents a significant public health issue with a high prevalence, most commonly resulting from overuse changes or injury to the cervical spine, soft tissues, or nerves. It manifests as localized pain in the cervical spine region and can lead to limited range of motion, tension headaches, and a decreased pain pressure threshold. Various physiotherapeutic procedures, such as kinesiotherapy, instrumental therapy, patient education, and increasingly manual therapy, are recommended for managing neck pain. Purpose: The aim of this diploma work was to demonstrate the effects of manual techniques on the pain pressure threshold in individuals with neck pain. Methods: The PubMed database was reviewed, and studies were selected for a detailed analysis based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, using the following English keywords: neck pain, pain pressure threshold, and manual technique. Results: Six randomized controlled trials published in the last decade, utilizing pain pressure threshold as a measure of pain intensity, were deemed suitable based on the selection. Various manual techniques statistically significantly improved pain pressure threshold on the trapezius and suboccipital muscles by at least 20 %, along with a minimum 30 % reduction in pain intensity in patients with neck pain. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant improvement in function among patients with neck pain. Discussion and conclusion: The literature review has demonstrated that manual techniques are effective conservative options for immediate and short-term improvement in pain pressure threshold, pain reduction, and enhanced function in individuals with neck pain. Further research should evaluate the long-term effects of manual techniques in individuals with neck pain.
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