Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Cervical Radiculopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Effect of Mobilizations and Exercises Targeting the Opening of Intervertebral Foramens
Brief Summary: The primary objective of this randomised clinical trial (RCT) is to compare, in terms of disability and pain, an intervention targeting the opening of intervertebral foramens to a conventional physiotherapy intervention, in patients presenting acute or subacute cervical radiculopathies. Based on biomechanical principles, the investigators hypothesis is that the intervention targeting the opening of intervertebral foramens will be significantly more effective in reducing pain and disability than the conventional physiotherapy intervention.

This study is double-blind RCT that will allow the comparison of patients with a cervical radiculopathy randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will receive a 4-week rehabilitation program targeting the opening of intervertebral foramen, and the second group will receive a 4-week conventional rehabilitation program. Thirty-six subjects will be recruited from participating medical and physiotherapy clinics in the Quebec City area (Canada) and will be evaluated at baseline, at the end of the program and four weeks following the end of the program. The primary outcome measure will be the validated Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire and other secondary measures will include the QuickDASH questionnaire, a numerical pain rating scale, cervicothoracic mobility and patients' perceived global rating of change.


Options:
A: Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant women, due to use of diagnostic procedures (x-rays) and study treatments (NSAIDs and narcotic medications)
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Chronic mechanical neck pain (defined as current episode \> 12 weeks' duration).
* Quebec Task Force classifications 1, 2, 3 and 4. This includes patients with neck pain, stiffness or tenderness, with or without musculoskeletal and neurological signs.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Previous cervical spine surgery
* Neck pain referred from local joint lesions of the lower extremities or from visceral diseases
* Progressive neurological deficits due to nerve root or spinal cord compression
* Existing cardiac disease requiring medical treatment
* Blood clotting disorders
* Diffuse idiopathic hyperostosis
* Infectious and non-infectious inflammatory or destructive tissue changes of the cervical spine
* Presence of significant infectious disease, or other severe disabling health problems
* Substance abuse
* Ongoing treatment for neck pain by other health care providers
* Pregnant or nursing women
* Average neck pain score of less than 30 percentage points
* Pending or current litigation
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* 65 years of age and older
* independent ambulation and community dwelling
* stable medication plan
* neck-related disability (minimal score of 10% on Neck Disability Index)
* back-related disability (minimal score of 10% on Oswestry Disability Index)
* minimum combined disability score (above) of 25% at first baseline screening
* at least 12 week duration of neck and back related disability

Exclusion Criteria:

* moderate or severe cognitive impairment
* untreated clinical depression
* surgical spinal fusion or multiple incidents of spinal surgery
* contraindications to spinal manipulation or exercise
* ongoing, non-pharmacological treatment for a spinal condition
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* pain, paresthesia or numbness in the upper-limb with cervical or periscapular pain for less than 3 months
* at least one neurological sign (dermatomes, myotomes or reflexes) of an inferior motoneuron lesion to the upper-limb
* positive responses to at least 3 of the 4 following clinical tests: Spurling Test, Upper Limb Tension Test, Cervical Distraction Test, and less than 60o of cervical rotation on the impaired side

Exclusion Criteria:

* prior surgery to the cervicothoracic spine
* bilateral upper-limb symptoms
* signs of superior motoneuron impairments (bilateral paresthesia, hyperreflexia, spasticity)
* cervical spine infiltration in the previous four weeks
* current use of steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Answer: D