Cervical radicular pain (CRP) is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by neck pain radiating to the upper limb due to compression or irritation of cervical nerve roots. It significantly affects daily activities, cervical mobility, and overall quality of life. Conventional physical therapy focuses on reducing pain and improving function; however, there is limited evidence comparing the effectiveness of different stretching techniques used in clinical practice.
This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effectiveness of Myokinetic Stretching Technique (MST) and Post Facilitation Stretching (PFS) on pain intensity, cervical range of motion, and functional disability in patients with cervical radicular pain.
A total of 70 participants with cervical radicular pain (\>4 weeks) will be randomly allocated into two groups:
Group A (Myokinetic Stretching Technique Group) - receiving MST along with conventional therapy including hot pack application, cervical isometric exercises, neurodynamic gliding, and continuous cervical traction.
Group B (Post Facilitation Stretching Group) - receiving Post Facilitation Stretching along with the same conventional therapy.
The intervention will be conducted for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week on alternate days, each session lasting approximately 45 minutes.
Outcome measures will include:
Pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Cervical range of motion measured using a goniometer Functional disability assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI)
This study aims to determine the more effective stretching technique for reducing pain, improving cervical mobility, and enhancing functional outcomes, thereby supporting evidence-based physiotherapy practice in managing cervical radicular pain.
Both male and female gender
Age 30 to 60 years with a +ve spurling test and radiating arm pain for more than 4 weeks
Unilateral cervical radicular pain
+ve upper limb tension test and neck disability index <50%
History of cervical spinal surgery
Severe facet joint osteoarthritis
History of fracture in the head and neck region
Patient with cognitive dysfunction or mental illness, severe cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, liver, or kidney dysfunction
Parallel
Myokinetic Stretching Technique
Other interventionParticipants in this group will receive Myokinetic Stretching Technique (MST) along with conventional physiotherapy treatment. The program will be delivered for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week on alternate days, each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Conventional treatment will include hot pack application to the cervical region, cervical isometric exercises (flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation), neurodynamic gliding techniques, and continuous cervical traction. MST will be applied to the cervical musculature, particularly the trapezius muscle. The participant will be positioned in supine, and the therapist will perform controlled lateral flexion stretching followed by myofascial release using sustained pressure (5-10 seconds). The technique will be performed in sets with brief rest intervals to improve muscle flexibility and reduce pain.
Post facilitation stretching
Other interventionParticipants in this group will receive Post Facilitation Stretching (PFS) along with conventional physiotherapy treatment. The program will be conducted for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week on alternate days, each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Conventional treatment will include hot pack application to the cervical region, cervical isometric exercises (flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation), neurodynamic gliding techniques, and continuous cervical traction. PFS will be applied to the cervical musculature, particularly the trapezius muscle. The participant will be positioned in supine, and the therapist will guide the muscle into a neutral position followed by a strong voluntary contraction for approximately 10 seconds. After relaxation, a rapid passive stretch will be applied and held briefly. The procedure will be repeated in sets with short rest intervals to improve muscle extensibility and reduce pain.
Numeric Pain Rating scale
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale. The scale ranges from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst possible pain. Higher scores indicate greater pain.
Neck Disability Index
Functional disability will be assessed using the Neck Disability Index . The total score ranges from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater disability.
Goniometer
Cervical range of motion will be measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. Higher values indicate greater cervical range of motion.
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