Effectiveness of low-grade spinal mobilization for the patients with chronic neck pain.

Abstract

Purpose: To find out the effectiveness of low-grade spinal mobilization for the patients with chronic neck pain. Objectives: To assess the effect on pain and disability of neck pain patients after applying low grade spinal mobilization along with conventional physiotherapy. Methodology: The study was a quantitative clinical trial. 20 patients were allocated based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The age range was 24- 53 years old. They received 6 sessions of treatment for 2weeks. Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) & NPDI were used in the study to see the effectiveness in the pretest and posttest values of pain and disability. Results:Among 20 participants with chronic neck pain in this study, 10 participants received conventional physiotherapy and 10 participants received low grade spinal mobilization along with conventional physiotherapy. Each participant of both experimental and control group scored on Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and NPDI before and after completion of treatment. Wilcoxon Signed ranked test applied to the post-test pain score of the participants in both groups were revealed a statistically significant difference at the level of P= 0.000 (P< 0.05). Following application of treatment, the study found that the control group showed a significant improvement (p<0.05) in some cases than the experimental group. The low grade spinal mobilization along with conventional physiotherapy showed better improvement than only conventional physiotherapy for the patients with chronic neck pain. Though both groups were effective in posttest values and their P values were significant (P< 0.05). The experimental group showed more significance in NPDI index. Conclusion: The quantitative clinical trial showed that low grade spinal mobilization along with conventional physiotherapy were more effective than only conventional physiotherapy for the patients with chronic neck pain. Key words: Manual Mobilization Technique, Neck Pain, Neck Pain Disability Index Questionnaire, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Range of Motion, Conventional physiotherapy.