PHYSICAL THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF SUB ACUTE AND CHRONIC CERVICAL SPINE PAIN

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of manual therapy in neck pain and to contribute to physical therapy literature for new research. Neck pain is a common complaint with high prevalence and is sometimes associated with shoulder and / or headaches. To treat the neck pain various interventions are being used by physical therapists which may include electrotherapy, exercise therapy, neuromobilization, traction & manual therapy.Study Design: RCT (Randomized control trial) included forty patients in total who were divided into two groups of twenty patients in each, receiving manual therapy and electrical therapy evaluated by using patient orient primary outcome measures (Neck Disability Index). The Patients were selected at EERA (MRDEA) Centre, physical therapy and neurology department in Abbas Institute of medical science Muzafrabad, AJ&K, Pakistan. Methods: Forty patients suffering for at least 2 weeks from neck pain were randomized to receive a 6-week treatment strategy of manual therapy and electrotherapy three a week. The primary outcome measures were perceived recovery and functional disability. Results: In 6 weeks a considerable decrease in disability scores was observed for manual therapy treatment for all outcomes. The success rate, decrease in disability scores, based on perceived recovery was 29.5% for manual therapy including manipulation and mobilization, which is higher than successful rate for electrotherapy (23.9%). Manual therapy scored consistently better than electrotherapy as outcomes. Conclusion: The results suggested that the recommendations made with confidence regarding the use of manual therapy are good option for the management of neck pain. In Future similar trails should be examined for the value of manual therapy for neck pain