Abstract
The evidence regarding the effectiveness of cervical mobilization (CM) for treatment of cervical radiculopathy (CR) is scarce. This study investigated the effect of CM on nerve root function using somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP), neck pain and functional disability in CR patients to provide an evidence supporting its use. Fifty subjects with CR were randomly assigned to either "experimental" group who received CM and conventional rehabilitation program, or to "control" group that received conventional rehabilitation program only. The outcome measures were the SSEP, neck disability index and pain visual analogue scale (VAS). All outcomes were recorded at baseline, end of the treatment, and 4 weeks following the end of treatment. Both groups were found to significantly improve in all outcomes after 4 weeks of treatment, but the CM group proved to be superior over the control group. Furthermore, no significant changes occurred in the measured variables at follow up when compared to post treatment values in both groups. Cervical mobilization could be utilized as an effective physical therapy program design for patients with CR for improvement of pain level, functional disability and nerve root function.