Neural Mobilization–Induced Changes in Cervicocephalic Kinesthetic Performance in Cervical Radiculopathy Patients With and Without Diabetes Mellitus
Main Article Content
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease that is often combined with chronic musculoskeletal pain and impaired sensorimotor control. The cervical radiculopathy (CR) is usually accompanied by distorted cervicocephalic kinesthetic perception, which is attributed to muscle spindle and articular receptors dysfunction. Although neural mobilisation (NM) has been reported to produce positive effects in CR, its effect on cervical sensorimotor performance in patients with and without DM has not been studied properly.
Purpose: To determine the effects of neural mobilisation on cervicocephalic kinesthetic accuracy, pain, and neck related disability in persons with a cervical radiculopathy, randomised by diabetic status.
Methods : A prospective, experimental pre, post study was conducted that consisted of 84 participants who had established cervical radiculopathy. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups, namely, Group A (CR with DM, n=42), and Group B (CR without DM, n=42). Neural mobilisation of the median-nerve was used on both cohorts in association with the postural re-education exercises with three sessions a week over a period of six weeks. These outcome measures were the Head Repositioning Test (HRT), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Statistical evaluation was performed by use of SPSS version 21.
Results: Within-group comparisons showed that there were significant improvements in all the measured domains cervicocephalic kinesthetic accuracy (flexion, extension, right and left lateral flexion), pain, and disability scores (p < 0.05). Intergroup comparisons on the other hand indicated no clinically significant differences implying that the effectiveness of neural mobilisation was similar regardless of the diabetic status.
Conclusion: Cervical sensorimotor, pain and neck-related disability enhancements in cervical radiculopathy patients are significantly gained with neural mobilisation irrespective of diabetes mellitus. These results support the incorporation of neural mobilisation therapy into physiotherapeutic strategy to the management of cervical radiculopathy including diabetic patients.
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References
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