Table 1 Study characteristics
Study | Country | Study design | Sample size | Participant characteristics Mean (SD) Mean [range] M/F | Cause of neck pain and pain characteristics | ROM tested | Smart app details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pourahmadi et al., 2018 [26] | Iran | Cross sectional study | 40 | Age: 31.12 (6.38) Gender: 20 /20 | Non-specific, non-traumatic neck pain Pain Intensity VAS - 3.71 ± 1.06 | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation | ‘Goniometer Pro[G-pro]’ app (version 2.7). It works like a digital gravity-based inclinometer- iPhone 7 uses built-in accelerometer |
Palsson et al., 2019 [30] | Denmark | Cross sectional study | 30 | Age: 2[(21-37] Gender: 19/11 | Asymptomatic NA | Neck flexion, extension, and rotation | ‘Balacy’ app (beta version, MEDEI, Aalborg, Denmark) custom made application |
Stenneberg et al., 2018 [27] | Netherlands | Cross sectional and repeated measures design | 30 for validity study, 26 for reliability study | Age: - Validity study: 53.4. Reliability study: 45.2 Gender: - Validity Study: 11/19 Reliability study: 7/19 | NR NDI (median, range): Validity stud y- 9.5 (1–26) Reliability study- 11.4 (3–27) Pain duration:>  1 week | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. | ‘3D range of motion’ custom made application - iPhone 4 s uses built-in gyroscope and accelerometer |
Guidetti et al., 2017 [13] | Italy | Descriptive correlational study | 23 | Age: 26 (5) Gender:13/10 | Asymptomatic NA | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. | ‘Compass’ app - iPhone 5c uses built-in accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer |
Ullucci et al., 2019 [33] | USA | NR | 38 | Age: 23.8 (1.2) Gender: 19/19 | Asymptomatic NA | Upper cervical spine rotation | ‘Clinometer’ app- Android and iPhone |
Ghorbani et al., 2020 [10] | Iran | NR | 20 | Age: 25.9 [9-33] Gender: 7/13 | NR Pain duration: >  4 weeks | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation. | ‘Clinometer’ app - iPhone 6 s uses built-in gyroscope and accelerometer |
Chang et al., 2019 [28] | Taiwan | Two stage repeated measures design | 41 | Age: 36.9 (7.6) Gender: 9/32 | Asymptomatic NA | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. | ‘GPS status & Toolbox app’ - iPhone uses built-in gyroscope and magnetometer |
Satpute et al., 2019 [12] | India | Repeated measures reliability design | 32 | Age: 40.53 Gender: 17/15 | Asymptomatic NA | Upper cervical spine rotation with FRT, and with C0-C2 test | ‘Compass’ app- iPhone 6 uses built-in gyroscope, magnetometer and accelerometer |
Quek et al., 2014 [31] | Australia | NR | 21 | Age: 31 (9.1) Gender: 11/20 | Asymptomatic NA | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation | Custom made app- Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S3) uses built-in accelerometer and gyroscope |
Monreal et al., 2021 [29] | USA | Repeated measure, correlational design | 50 | Age: 21.46 (2.78) Gender: 15/35 | Asymptomatic NA | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation | ‘Clinometer’ app - Smartphone |
RodrÃguez-Sanza et al., 2019 [11] | Spain | Cross sectional study | Validity study: 25 Reliability study: 10 | Age: - Validity study: 25 (6.72) [18-53] Reliability study: NR Gender: - Validity study: 11/14 Reliability: NR | NR Duration of neck pain: Mean (SD) (months) Validity study: 70.48 (67.25) | Upper cervical spine: flexion and extension Lower cervical spine: flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation | ‘Clinometer’ app- Xiaomi A1 uses built-in accelerometers and a gyroscope. ‘Compass’ app-Xiaomi A1 uses built-in accelerometer. |
Tousignant-Laflamme et al., 2013 [32] | Canada | Descriptive correlational design | 28 | Age: 23 (6) [19-43] Gender: 9/19 | Asymptomatic NA | Neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation | ‘Clinometer’ app (Peter Breitling, Version 3.3)- iPhone uses built-in accelerometers ‘Compass’ app- iPhone uses built-in magnetometer. |