PHYS THER
Vol. 89, No. 7, July 2009, pp. 632-642
DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20080283
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow eAppendix
Right arrow The Bottom Line
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
ptj.20080283v1
89/7/632    most recent
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Read responses to this article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Young, I. A.
Right arrow Articles by Snyder, A. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Young, I. A.
Right arrow Articles by Snyder, A. R.
Related Collections
Right arrow Manual Therapy
Right arrow Physical Agents/Modalities
Right arrow Therapeutic Exercise
Right arrow Injuries and Conditions: Neck
Right arrow Randomized Controlled Trials
Right arrowRelated Article
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?

Research Reports

Manual Therapy, Exercise, and Traction for Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Ian A. Young, Lori A. Michener, Joshua A. Cleland, Arnold J. Aguilera and Alison R. Snyder

I.A. Young, PT, MS, OCS, SCS, Cert MDT, is Physical Therapist, Spine and Sport, Savannah, Georgia, and Affiliate-Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University–Medical College of Virginia Campus, Richmond, Virginia. Mailing address: Box 961, Tybee Island, GA 31328 (USA).
L.A. Michener, PT, PhD, ATC SCS, is Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University–Medical College of Virginia Campus.
J.A. Cleland, PT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT, is Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Franklin Pierce University, Concord, New Hampshire; Physical Therapist, Rehabilitation Services, Concord Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire; and Faculty, Regis University Manual Therapy Fellowship Program, Denver, Colorado.
A.J. Aguilera, MD, is Neurologist, Neurology Associates, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
A.R. Snyder, PhD, ATC, is Assistant Professor, Athletic Training Program, A. T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona.

Address all correspondence to Mr Young at: youngian{at}spinesport.org

Background: To date, optimal strategies for the management of patients with cervical radiculopathy remain elusive. Preliminary evidence suggests that a multimodal treatment program consisting of manual therapy, exercise, and cervical traction may result in positive outcomes for patients with cervical radiculopathy. However, limited evidence exists to support the use of mechanical cervical traction in patients with cervical radiculopathy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of manual therapy and exercise, with or without the addition of cervical traction, on pain, function, and disability in patients with cervical radiculopathy.

Design: This study was a multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Setting: The study was conducted in orthopedic physical therapy clinics.

Patients: Patients diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy (N=81) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: a group that received manual therapy, exercise, and intermittent cervical traction (MTEXTraction group) and a group that received manual therapy, exercise, and sham intermittent cervical traction (MTEX group).

Intervention: Patients were treated, on average, 2 times per week for an average of 4.2 weeks.

Measurements: Outcome measurements were collected at baseline and at 2 weeks and 4 weeks using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), and the Neck Disability Index (NDI).

Results: There were no significant differences between the groups for any of the primary or secondary outcome measures at 2 weeks or 4 weeks. The effect size between groups for each of the primary outcomes was small (NDI=1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]=–6.8 to 3.8; PSFS=0.29, 95% CI=–1.8 to 1.2; and NPRS=0.52, 95% CI=–1.8 to 1.2).

Limitations: The use of a nonvalidated clinical prediction rule to diagnose cervical radiculopathy and the lack of a control group without treatment were limitations of this study.

Conclusions: The results suggest that the addition of mechanical cervical traction to a multimodal treatment program of manual therapy and exercise yields no significant additional benefit to pain, function, or disability in patients with cervical radiculopathy.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Related Article

Young IA, et al. "Manual therapy, exercise, and traction for patients with cervical radiculopathy..." Phys Ther. 2009;89:632–642.
Physical Therapy 2009 89: 1254-1255. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ptjournalHome page
D. L. Thorpe
On "Manual therapy, exercise, and traction for patients with cervical radiculopathy..." Young IA, et al. Phys Ther. 2009;89:632-642.
Physical Therapy, November 1, 2009; 89(11): 1253 - 1253.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ptjournalHome page
I. A. Young, L. A. Michener, J. A. Cleland, A. J. Aguilera, and A. R. Snyder
Author Response
Physical Therapy, November 1, 2009; 89(11): 1253 - 1253.
[Full Text] [PDF]