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Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

From: Effectiveness of Anapana, Body scan and Metta meditation techniques on chronic neck and shoulder region pain and disability in adult patients in Sri Lanka: study protocol for a cluster clinic-level randomised controlled trial

Inclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria

• Patients affected with chronic (> 12 weeks) neck and shoulder region pain attending the four clinics managed by the same physician and physiotherapist.

Patients affected with infections, inflammatory arthropathies, malignancies, Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric conditions, severe depression and anxiety will be excluded.

• Patients affected with mechanical causes such as degenerative changes of the spine, muscle strain, ligament sprain.

Patients who take part in yoga and other meditation programmes.

• Patients who can understand and communicate in Sinhala.

Patients who are below the age of 18 years and above the age of 65 years.