Cervical Radiculopathy
Conditions
Brief summary
Cervical radiculopathy is a condition caused by compression or irritation of cervical nerve roots, leading to neck pain, arm pain, sensory disturbances, and functional limitations. This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether adding neurodynamic mobilization to conventional physiotherapy improves pain intensity and functional disability in individuals with cervical radiculopathy. Participants received either conventional physiotherapy alone or conventional physiotherapy combined with neurodynamic mobilization over a 5-week treatment period.
Detailed description
Cervical radiculopathy is a condition where a nerve in the neck becomes irritated or compressed. This can cause neck pain, pain that spreads into the arm, numbness, tingling, and difficulty performing daily activities. It can significantly affect a person's quality of life. This study investigated whether adding a specific physiotherapy technique called neurodynamic mobilization to standard physiotherapy could improve recovery in patients with cervical radiculopathy. A total of 50 participants took part in the study. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group received standard physiotherapy treatment only, while the other group received standard physiotherapy combined with neurodynamic mobilization techniques. Both treatment programs were carried out over five weeks, with a total of 10 treatment sessions. Participants were evaluated before and after treatment to measure pain levels and how much their neck condition affected daily activities. Pain was measured using a simple rating scale, and disability was measured using a questionnaire. The results showed that both groups improved over time. However, the group that received the additional neurodynamic mobilization experienced greater reductions in pain and better improvement in daily function compared to the group that received standard physiotherapy alone. The study suggests that adding neurodynamic mobilization may enhance the effectiveness of physiotherapy for people with cervical radiculopathy.
Interventions
Neurodynamic mobilization consisted of specific neural tissue mobilization techniques targeting the affected cervical nerve roots. The techniques were applied in addition to conventional physiotherapy and aimed to restore normal neural mobility and reduce mechanosensitivity. Treatment was delivered over 5 weeks (10 sessions). Each session included standardized neurodynamic sliding techniques performed within pain-free or low-pain ranges, combined with conventional physiotherapy interventions including therapeutic exercises, manual therapy, and physical modalities. The intervention was individually tailored based on patient symptoms and clinical presentation.
OTHERconventional physiotherapy
Conventional physiotherapy consisted of a standardized rehabilitation program including therapeutic exercises, manual therapy techniques, and physical modalities. Therapeutic exercises focused on cervical range of motion, strengthening, and postural correction. Manual therapy included soft tissue techniques and joint mobilization of the cervical spine. Physical modalities were applied to reduce pain and improve function. The intervention was delivered over 5 weeks, with a total of 10 sessions.
Sponsors
Lebanese German University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Adults aged 18-65 years. * Diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy. * pain radiating to the upper limb. * Presence of at least one neurological sign, including: Sensory deficit, or Muscle weakness, or Diminished reflexes.
Exclusion criteria
* Previous cervical spine surgery. * Cervical myelopathy. * Cervical fractures. * Tumors affecting the cervical spine. * Inflammatory disorders. * Any contraindication to physiotherapy interventions.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Intensity | Baseline and after 5 weeks of intervention. | Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a validated self-reported measure of pain severity. The scale ranges from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Functional Disability | Baseline and after 5 weeks of intervention. | Functional disability will be assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a validated questionnaire designed to evaluate the impact of neck pain on daily activities. The NDI consists of 10 items, with total scores ranging from 0 to 50. Higher scores indicate greater neck-related disability. |
Countries
Lebanon
Contacts
STUDY_CHAIRSamir Matar, Professor
Lebanese German University
Outcome results
None listed