Cervical Spinal Mobilization Versus TENS in the Management of Cervical Radiculopathy: A Comparative, Experimental, Randomized controlled trial

The need of study was to find out whether a movement based approach along with exercises is beneficial than a non-movement based electrotherapeutic approach along with exercises for relieving upper limb radiculopathy arising due to cervical spondylosis.

75 subjects were randomly allocated into three groups i.e. Group A: (Hot fomentation, Cervical contralateral lateral flexion mobilization and Isometric neck exercises), Group B: (Hot fomentation, Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and Isometric neck exercises), Group C: (Control group: Hot fomentation and Isometric neck exercises).The duration of intervention was 3 weeks and treatment was given on The outcome measures were VAS pain score, Elbow extension range of motion measured in upper limb tension test-1 position, Northwick Park neck pain questionnaire, Neuropathic pain scale, Short form of Mc Gill pain questionnaire. Pre and post intervention values of outcome measures were recorded and also after a follow-up of 6 weeks.

The participants treated within groups showed a statistically significant decrease in pain, increase in elbow extension ROM, and an improvement in the functional outcome scores as per NPQ score, NPPS and SF- MPQ score with p<0.001. But there was no statistically significant difference in pain scores when compared between the experimental groups (p= 0.075), increase in amount of elbow extension ROM (p=0.024) was significant, and a significant improvement in functional outcome level as per NPQ (p=0.034) and a non-significant improvement in NPPS and SF-MPQ score (p>0.05), after 3 weeks of intervention.

Cervical mobilization when compared to Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is equally effective in relieving pain, reducing the radicular pain in upper limb and improving the functional outcome.