• Ian A Young, Lori A Michener, Joshua A Cleland, Arnold J Aguilera, and Alison R Snyder.
• Spine and Sport, Savannah, Georgia, USA. youngian@spinesport.org
• Phys Ther. 2009 Jul 1;89(7):632-42.

BackgroundTo 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.ObjectiveThe 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.DesignThis study was a multicenter randomized clinical trial.SettingThe study was conducted in orthopedic physical therapy clinics.PatientsPatients 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).InterventionPatients were treated, on average, 2 times per week for an average of 4.2 weeks.MeasurementsOutcome 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).ResultsThere 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).LimitationsThe 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.ConclusionsThe 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.

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