[Clinical observation on improvement of motion range of cervical spine of patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy treated with rotation-traction manipulation and neck pain particles and cervical neck pain rehabilitation exercises].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of two different therapies on patients whose cervical function were restricted due to cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.


METHODS
Form April 2008 to October 2009, 71 cases with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were divided into group A (36 cases) and group B (35 cases). Among them, 22 cases were male and 49 cases were female, ranging in age form 45 to 65 years with an average of 52.27 years, course of disease was from 3 days to 5 years. The patients in group A were treated with rotation-traction manipulation, neck pain particles and cervical rehabilitation exercises; and the patients in group B were treated with cervical traction, Diclofenac sodium sustained release tablets and wearing neck collar. Theapeutic time was two weeks. The cervical anteflexion, extension, left and right lateral bending, left and right rotative activity were measured by helmet-style activities instrument before and after treatment (at the 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 days and 1 month after treatment respectively).


RESULTS
There were no difference between two groups in cervical activity in all directions before treatment (P > 0.05). Compared with the beginning, cervical anteflexion and extension showed significant difference at the 5th day after treatment in group A (P < 0.01). In group B, cervical anteflexion showed significant difference at the 13th day after treatment (P < 0.05), but at the 1 month after treatment, the significant difference disappeared (P > 0.05); cervical extension showed significant difference at the 7th day after treatment compared with the beginning (P < 0.05). Compared with the beginning,left lateral bending showed significant difference at the 1st day after treatment in group A (P < 0.05) and at the 5th day after treatment in group B (P < 0.01). Both in group A or B, right lateral bending, left and right rotative activity showed significant difference at the same time after treatment, either the 3rd day (P < 0.05) or the 5th day (P < 0.05). Compared between groups, cervical anteflexion, left and right lateral bending, left and right rotative activity showed significant difference at the 1 month after treatment (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The rotation-traction manipulation and neck pain particles and cervical rehabilitation exercises in treating cervicalspondylotic radiculopathy have quick effect to improve the activities of cervical anteflexion, extension, left lateral bending, and have durable effect to improve the activities of cervical spine in all directions.
Department of the Second Spine, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100102, China.
Peng-Chao
PC
Zhen
Li-Guo
LG
Zhu
Jing-Hua
JH
Gao
Jie
J
Yu
Min-Shan
MS
Feng
Xu
X
Wei
Shang-Quan
SQ
Wang
D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020393:Manipulation, Spinal / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009038:Motion; D009333:Neck / Q000473:pathology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011187:Posture; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012399:Rotation; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014143:Traction / Q000379:methods