These neck pain figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.
Key Neck Pain Statistics
The main findings are:
- An estimated 206 million people globally had neck pain in 2021 (95% UI 162–253 million).
- The 2021 global age-standardized incidence estimate was 519 per 100,000, compared with 242 YLDs per 100,000.
- Global neck-pain cases increased from about 115 million in 1990 (95% UI 89–142 million) to 206 million in 2021 (95% UI 162–253 million) (1990–2021).
- In 2012, 14.3% of U.S. adults reported neck pain or neck problems in the past 12 months (2012; past 12 months).
- Of the 740 enrolled office workers, 367 had data at baseline, 12 weeks and 12 months for the reported analysis (baseline to 12 months; trial office workers).
- Stretching produced a between-group visual-analogue pain difference of −1.4 points (95% CI −2.2 to −0.7) after four weeks (office workers with chronic neck pain).
- About 42 million new neck-pain cases occurred globally in 2021 (95% UI 34–53 million).
- Neck pain represented 7.2% of disability pensions among Brazilian workers with musculoskeletal disorders (not specified in cited summary; Brazil analysis).
- Incident cases rose from about 25 million in 1990 (95% UI 20–31 million) to 42 million in 2021 (95% UI 34–53 million) (1990–2021).
- More than 50% of U.S. adults—about 125 million people—had a musculoskeletal pain disorder in 2012.
- The baseline neck-pain subgroup included 96 workers reporting pain intensity of at least 3 on a 0–9 scale (trial office workers).
- Stretching improved the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire by 4.8 points (95% CI −9.3 to −0.4) versus control (four weeks; office workers with chronic neck pain).
- The global age-standardized incidence rate was 519 per 100,000 people (95% UI 408–633) (2021).
- The GBD 2021 analysis covered 204 countries and territories (1990–2021).
- YLDs increased from about 11 million in 1990 (95% UI 8–16 million) to 20 million in 2021 (95% UI 14–29 million) (1990–2021).
Contents
- Key Neck Pain Statistics
- Global neck pain statistics: prevalence, incidence and disability burden
- Neck pain statistics by sex, region and socioeconomic context
- Neck pain trends from 1990 to 2021 and future projections
- U.S. neck pain statistics and complementary-care use
- Workplace neck pain statistics and office-worker outcomes
- Neck pain treatment and exercise statistics from randomized trials
Global neck pain statistics: prevalence, incidence and disability burden
- An estimated 206 million people globally had neck pain in 2021 (95% UI 162–253 million). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- About 42 million new neck-pain cases occurred globally in 2021 (95% UI 34–53 million). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- The global age-standardized incidence rate was 519 per 100,000 people (95% UI 408–633) (2021). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- Neck pain caused about 20 million years lived with disability (YLDs) worldwide in 2021 (95% UI 14–29 million). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- The global age-standardized YLD rate was 242 per 100,000 people (95% UI 163–343) (2021). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- GBD 2019 estimated 222.7 million prevalent neck-pain cases globally (95% UI 179.2–281.0 million). (Global, regional, and national neck…)
- GBD 2019 estimated 47.5 million incident cases (95% UI 37.5–59.9 million). (Global, regional, and national neck…)
- The 2019 age-standardized point-prevalence rate was 2,696.5 per 100,000 people (95% UI 2,177.0–3,375.2). (Global, regional, and national neck…)
- GBD 2019 estimated 22.1 million YLDs from neck pain (95% UI 14.5–31.7 million). (Global, regional, and national neck…)
GBD modeled estimate, not a direct census.
GBD modeled incident-case estimate.
Age-standardized GBD rate.
GBD disability-weight model.
Earlier GBD release; not directly interchangeable with GBD 2021 definitions or revisions.
Earlier GBD modeled estimate.
Point prevalence and age-standardized GBD measure.
Earlier GBD disability estimate.
Neck pain statistics by sex, region and socioeconomic context
- The 2021 global age-standardized incidence estimate was 519 per 100,000, compared with 242 YLDs per 100,000. (Global burden of neck pain…)
- Neck pain represented 7.2% of disability pensions among Brazilian workers with musculoskeletal disorders (not specified in cited summary; Brazil analysis). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- The GBD 2021 analysis covered 204 countries and territories (1990–2021). (Global burden of neck pain…)
Incidence and YLD rates measure different quantities and should not be treated as a progression rate.
Subset denominator is disability pensions for musculoskeletal disorders, not all workers.
Coverage count describes the modeled dataset, not prevalence.
Neck pain trends from 1990 to 2021 and future projections
- Global neck-pain cases increased from about 115 million in 1990 (95% UI 89–142 million) to 206 million in 2021 (95% UI 162–253 million) (1990–2021). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- Incident cases rose from about 25 million in 1990 (95% UI 20–31 million) to 42 million in 2021 (95% UI 34–53 million) (1990–2021). (Global burden of neck pain…)
- YLDs increased from about 11 million in 1990 (95% UI 8–16 million) to 20 million in 2021 (95% UI 14–29 million) (1990–2021). (Global burden of neck pain…)
Different years from the same GBD 2021 analysis; modeled estimates.
Modeled GBD estimates.
Modeled disability estimates.
U.S. neck pain statistics and complementary-care use
- In 2012, 14.3% of U.S. adults reported neck pain or neck problems in the past 12 months (2012; past 12 months). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- More than 50% of U.S. adults—about 125 million people—had a musculoskeletal pain disorder in 2012. (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- Among U.S. adults with a musculoskeletal pain disorder, 50.6% of those with neck pain or problems used any complementary health approach (2012; past 12 months; U.S. adults with neck pain or problems). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- Among adults without a musculoskeletal pain disorder, 24.1% used a complementary health approach for any reason (2012; past 12 months; U.S. adults without a musculoskeletal pain disorder). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- Among U.S. adults with neck pain or problems, 9.2% used a complementary approach specifically to treat the condition (2012; past 12 months). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- Among U.S. adults with neck pain or problems, 27.7% used natural products for any reason (2012; past 12 months). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- Among U.S. adults with neck pain or problems, 18.9% used a mind-and-body approach for any reason (2012; past 12 months). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- Almost 30% of U.S. adults with neck pain or problems used a practitioner-based approach for any reason (2012; past 12 months). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
- Among U.S. adults with neck pain or problems, 7.9% used a practitioner-based approach specifically for treatment (2012; past 12 months). (Use of Complementary Health Approaches…)
Self-reported NHIS estimate; not a clinical diagnosis.
Broad musculoskeletal denominator, not neck pain alone.
Use for any reason; does not establish effectiveness or sequence of care.
Comparator group, not a neck-pain treatment rate.
Self-reported treatment use; complementary approaches only.
Any-reason use, not necessarily neck-pain treatment.
Any-reason use; includes approaches such as meditation or yoga.
Rounded report wording; any-reason use.
Self-reported treatment use; practitioner-based complementary care only.
Workplace neck pain statistics and office-worker outcomes
- Of the 740 enrolled office workers, 367 had data at baseline, 12 weeks and 12 months for the reported analysis (baseline to 12 months; trial office workers). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
- The baseline neck-pain subgroup included 96 workers reporting pain intensity of at least 3 on a 0–9 scale (trial office workers). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
- At 12 weeks, the exercise-plus-ergonomics group reduced pain by 0.53 points in all workers (95% CI −0.84 to −0.22), or 36% (trial office workers). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
- At 12 weeks, the ergonomics-plus-health-promotion group reduced pain by 0.17 points in all workers (95% CI −0.47 to 0.13), or 10.5% (trial office workers). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
- At 12 weeks, symptomatic neck-pain cases in the exercise-plus-ergonomics group improved by 2.32 points (95% CI −3.09 to −1.56), or 53% (baseline neck-pain cases). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
- At 12 weeks, symptomatic cases in the ergonomics-plus-health-promotion group improved by 1.75 points (95% CI −2.35 to −1.16), or 36% (baseline neck-pain cases). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
- At 12 months, the exercise group’s all-worker change was −0.18 points (95% CI −0.53 to 0.16) (trial office workers). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
- At 12 months, the health-promotion group’s all-worker change was −0.14 points (95% CI −0.49 to 0.21) (trial office workers). (A cluster-randomized trial of workplace…)
Complete-case analysis subset is smaller than enrollment.
Symptomatic subgroup, not all office workers.
Between-group model estimate; percentage is study-reported.
Active-control comparison; confidence interval crosses no change.
Subgroup result; short-term intervention effect.
Subgroup result; active-control trial.
Confidence interval includes no between-group maintenance effect.
Confidence interval includes no change.
Neck pain treatment and exercise statistics from randomized trials
- Stretching produced a between-group visual-analogue pain difference of −1.4 points (95% CI −2.2 to −0.7) after four weeks (office workers with chronic neck pain). (The effectiveness of a neck…)
- Stretching improved the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire by 4.8 points (95% CI −9.3 to −0.4) versus control (four weeks; office workers with chronic neck pain). (The effectiveness of a neck…)
- Stretching improved the physical dimension of SF-36 by 14.0 points (95% CI 7.1–20.9) versus control (four weeks; office workers with chronic neck pain). (The effectiveness of a neck…)
- Participants exercising at least three times per week had greater neck-function improvement than those exercising less often (p=0.005) (four weeks; trial office workers). (The effectiveness of a neck…)
- A 20-week workplace strength-training trial randomized 351 office workers into supervised, minimally supervised and reference groups (20 weeks). (Effect of training supervision on…)
- Minimal-supervision strength training reduced recent neck-pain intensity by 0.5 points versus reference (SE 0.2; p<0.02) on a 0–9 scale (20 weeks; office workers). (Effect of training supervision on…)
- Fully supervised strength training reduced recent neck-pain intensity by 0.4 points versus reference (SE 0.2; p<0.07) (20 weeks; office workers). (Effect of training supervision on…)
- Headache intensity decreased by 1.1 points in both training groups versus reference (p<0.001) on a 0–10 scale (20 weeks; office workers). (Effect of training supervision on…)
- Headache days decreased by 1.0 day with full supervision and 1.3 days with minimal supervision versus reference (20 weeks; office workers). (Effect of training supervision on…)
- The exercise-plus-ergonomics group improved pain intensity by 1.9 points at four weeks (95% CI 1.65–2.14) versus ergonomic modification alone (office workers with chronic nonspecific neck pain). (Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on…)
- The corresponding between-group improvement was 2.4 points at eight weeks (95% CI 2.28–2.51) (office workers with chronic nonspecific neck pain). (Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on…)
- At four weeks, functional-disability improvement between groups was 14.01 points (95% CI 9.24–18.77) (office workers with chronic nonspecific neck pain). (Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on…)
- At eight weeks, functional-disability improvement between groups was 11.6 points (95% CI 8.11–15.20) (office workers with chronic nonspecific neck pain). (Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on…)
- At four weeks, the between-group quality-of-life difference was −19.5 SF-36 points (95% CI −22.14 to −16.85) (office workers with chronic nonspecific neck pain). (Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on…)
- At eight weeks, the between-group quality-of-life difference was −30 SF-36 points (95% CI −33.19 to −26.80) (office workers with chronic nonspecific neck pain). (Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on…)
Trial estimate versus ergonomic-information control.
Instrument-specific score; trial population.
Quality-of-life outcome; not a direct pain measure.
Adherence/frequency comparison; not randomized dose-response evidence.
Cluster randomized trial; office-worker sample.
Intention-to-treat estimate.
Reported as a statistical tendency, not conventionally significant at p<0.05.
Headache is a secondary related outcome, not neck pain itself.
Related headache outcome; reported between-group changes.
Study-specific scale/model; short-term result.
Short follow-up and small trial.
Instrument-specific outcome; direction depends on scoring convention.
Instrument-specific outcome.
Study-reported direction and scoring; quality-of-life outcome.
Small, short-term trial; instrument-specific result.