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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06866821

Spinal Mobilization and PNF Comparison on Pain, Disability in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Cervical Radiculopathy Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Neuromuscular Diseases Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Peripheral Nervous System Diseases Radiculopathy Signs and Symptoms

Age range

21 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Riphah International University

Lahore, Punjab Province, 54000, Pakistan

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

SMWAM's and PNF C-R Technique

Other

Treatment provided 3 days every week in 6 total weeks with 1 meeting per day, 3 bunches of 10 times repeat and resting period of one minute among bunches. This group received Mulligan's spinal mobilization with arm movement and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitatin contract-relax technique. Previous to mobilization, all patients got hot pack (10 minutes) and active range of motion warm up exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions) and did isometric neck exercise as a home plan of care.

Mobilisation (22) was done depending on the side of involvement, the corresponding spinous process would be mobilised combined with different movements of shoulder (flexion/ abduction/ horizontal abduction/ horizontal adduction).

Proprioceptive neuro-muscular facilitation contract relax technique performed with 3 repetitions in each cervical movement (flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation) (27).

PNF C-R Technique and PT Protocol

Other

Treatment provided 3 days every week in 6 weeks with 1 meeting per day, 5 clusters of 3 times repeat and resting period of one minute among clusters. Regime of training involved PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) contract-relax method along with the standard physical therapy protocol which includes passive stretching (3 sets of 10 repetitions) and isometric strengthening exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions).

Proprioceptive neuro-muscular facilitation contract relax technique performed with 3 repetitions in each cervical movement (flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation) (27).

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain by Numeric Pain Rating Scale

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    This was used for pain intensity assessment. Patient rested on stool or chair and ordered to score resting pain extent in between 0 and 10 range; 0 means without pain and 10 means much high pain as possible in 10cm numbers line.

  2. Neck level of disability by Neck Disability Index

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    Neck disability Index was used for functional disability of neck assessment. NDI is a 10-items questionnaire that assesses the effect of neck signs and symptoms on daily living functional activities. Every item is marked from range 0 to 5, along with total score from 0 to 50 range and maximum scores means maximum disability. NDI has reliability acceptable in the self-perceptual disability assessment and an MCID (minimal clinically important difference) of 8.5 points in cervical radiculopathy patients.

  3. Cervical Range of Motion by Goniometer

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    Goniometer was used for active cervical spine range of the motion (flexion, extension, rotation, side bending) assessment. Side bending, rotation measured on the symptomatic and asymptomatic both sides.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Comparison of Mulligan's Spinal Mobilization With Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Technique on Pain, Disability and Range of Motion in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Mar 10, 2025
Registry last updated
Mar 12, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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