Comparative Effect of Muscle Energy Techniques and Mulligan Mobilization on Pain & Range of Motion in patients with Mechanical Neck Pain

Abstract

Mechanical cervical pain starts at the back of the head and moves down the neck to the lower cervical spine and shoulders. Vertebral arrangements are interrupted with this condition, and the joints of the cervical spine and ribs perform abnormal biomechanical movements, resulting in diminished mobility and pain. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of Muscle Energy Techniques (METs, Post-isometric relaxation) with Mulligan Mobilization (Natural Apophyseal Glides, NAGs) in subjects with Mechanical Neck Pain Methods: It was a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Sixty patients are allocated in 2 groups: A and B with 30 patients in each group with age limit from 25-50 years treated for 4 weeks on alternate days with METs and Mulligan mobilization with baseline exercise plan respectively. Intervention plan was divided into 2 phases. Outcome measures used in this study are Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Goniometer for Neck range of motions. Results: Patients in group B showed marked improvement as compared to group A. p-value less than 0.05 is considered significant. Mean age of patients for Group A was 39.91±8.14 and in Group B was 42.39±8.01 respectively. Conclusion: It is concluded from the study that Mulligan Mobilization was more effective as compared to METs in progressing NPRS and NDI scales.