Assessing the Quality and Reliability of YouTube Videos as a Source of Information for Chronic Neck Pain Exercises

Aim: This study aims to assess the quality and reliability of YouTube videos as an exercise source for chronic neck pain. Material and Method: On April 8, 2024, YouTube was searched with the Turkish terms "neck pain exercises", "neck pain rehabilitation", and "neck pain physical therapy." The videos' upload dates, lengths, views, daily views, likes, daily likes, comments, and daily comments were recorded. Videos were also categorized based on the creators' knowledge and professions. Reliability was assessed using the modified DISCERN scale, and quality was evaluated using the Global Quality Scale (GQS). Videos were categorized as low, medium, or high quality according to their GQS scores. Results: Of the 50 videos evaluated, 24% were high quality, 34% were medium quality, and 42% were low quality. While 75% of the videos prepared by physicians were of medium or high quality, this rate was determined as 69.7% for academics and 72% for non-physician healthcare personnel. No high-quality videos were uploaded by individual users or yoga/sports/pilates instructors. High-quality videos had significantly higher DISCERN scores, views, daily views, likes, daily likes, comments, and daily comments compared to lower-quality videos (p<0.05). Conclusion: The quality of YouTube videos as an exercise source for chronic neck pain is insufficient. Patients and users should be directed to reliable sources, and healthcare professionals must take responsibility for creating high-quality content.