title: Neck-specific training with a cognitive behavioural approach compared with prescribed physical activity in patients with cervical radiculopathy: a protocol of a prospective randomised clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with cervical radiculopathy often have neck- and arm pain, neurological changes, activity limitations and difficulties in returning to work. Most patients are not candidates for surgery but are often treated with different conservative approaches and may be sick-listed for long periods. The purpose of the current study is to compare the effectiveness of neck-specific training versus prescribed physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current protocol is a two armed intervention randomised clinical trial comparing the outcomes of patients receiving neck specific training or prescribed physical activity. A total of 144 patients with cervical radiculopathy will be randomly allocated to either of the two interventions. The interventions will be delivered by experienced physiotherapists and last 14 weeks. The primary outcome variable is neck- and arm pain intensity measured with a Visual Analogue Scale accompanied with secondary outcome measures of impairments and subjective health measurements collected before intervention and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after base-line assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We anticipate that the results of this study will provide evidence to support recommendations as to the effectiveness of conservative interventions for patients with cervical radiculopathy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01831271.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. Asa.dedering@ki.se.
authors.forename: Åsa
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Dedering
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halvorsen
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cleland
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peolsson
mesh_terms: D002985:Clinical Protocols; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012107:Research Design; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome