Clinical trial NCT06866821: Spinal Mobilization and PNF Comparison on Pain, Disability in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy
Official title: Comparison of Mulligan's Spinal Mobilization With Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Technique on Pain, Disability and Range of Motion in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cervical Radiculopathy
Keywords: Cervical Radiculopathy
Pain
Range of Motion
Distraction
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
Lead sponsor: Riphah International University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-03-10
Enrollment: 38
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 21
Maximum age (years): 50
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: As in this modern era of digitalization; mobile phones, touch pads and computers devices use is increasing, neck pain that radiates into upper limb is also becoming common due to such devices long term use in bad postures or positions for more workload. The resulted findings could significantly contribute to the refinement of rehabilitation interventions, offering a more holistic and tailored approach for addressing cervical radiculopathy sensory and motor symptoms, ultimately improving individuals daily living activities and life quality. It will be helpful for physiotherapists to find evidence about comparison of mulligan's spinal mobilization along with arm movement with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation technique on pain, disability and range of motion in patients with cervical radiculopathy. It will be beneficial for patients also to improve pain, activities of daily living and working tasks in a comfortable position.

Detailed description: Cervical radiculopathy is a clinical situation in which reflex, motor, and sensory alterations e.g. radicular pain, paresthesia, or numbness might be present and might be increased by neck bad postures and movements. Due to sustained forward head and neck posture and repetitive movements, cervical pain and numbness is becoming common in office, bank and online workers. The cervical radiculopathy new cases report yearly is almost 107.3 per 1 lac for men and 63.5 per 1 lac for women. It is essential to find new efficient methods of cervical radiculopathy physical therapy management.

Males and females of age 21-50 years old added in this study. Screening tests will include upper limb tension tests (ULTT), spurling (compression) test and distraction test. Subjects randomly assigned into two groups by lottery method. Experimental group (N=19) received Mulligan's spinal mobilization with arm movements (SMWAMs) and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) contract-relax technique and control group (N=19) received Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) contract-relax technique and standard physical therapy protocol including passive stretching exercises (3 sets of 10 repetitions) and isometric strengthening exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions). Outcome measures included numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) for pain, neck disability index (NDI) for functional disability and goniometer for range of motion (ROM). Data analyzed by statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 26) software.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Both males, females of 21 years to 50 years old
* Patients already diagnosed by orthopedicians
* Patients with positive screening (upper limb tension, spurling \& distraction) tests

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of trauma, fracture and previous surgery
* Any pathological condition, spinal instability and tumor
* VBI (Vertebral-Basillar Insufficiency) and cervical instability/spondylolisthesis

Primary outcomes:
measure: Pain by Numeric Pain Rating Scale
timeFrame: 6 weeks
measure: Neck level of disability by Neck Disability Index
timeFrame: 6 weeks
measure: Cervical Range of Motion by Goniometer
timeFrame: 6 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Lahore
country: Pakistan
facility: Riphah International University
state: Punjab
Study officials:
affiliation: Riphah International University
name: Muhammad Azeem
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Kamal AS, Zakaria HM, Elsamra MK, Gaballah MA, Elrewainy RM. EFFICACY OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE TRAINING PARADIGM ON CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY. Assessment. 2023;1000(2):12.
citation: Gashi AI, Kovačič T, Gashi F, Azemi A. The effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation technique on treating cervical radiculopathy. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2023;23(3):722-9.
citation: Taneja D, Saharan A, Ranjeeta W, Sharma M, Saharan M, Dubey S, et al. Effect of Mulligan's Smwam among Subjects with UnilateralCervical Radiculopathy. Eduzone: International Peer Reviewed/Refereed Multidisciplinary Journal. 2023;12(1):11-22.