EFFECTS OF CERVICAL TRACTION AND INFRARED THERAPY ON PAIN INTENSITY AND NECK DISABILITY INDEX AMONG PEOPLE WITH CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS: A CROSS-OVER COHORT STUDY

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of six-week cervical traction and infrared therapy on neck pain intensity (PI) and neck disability index (NDI) among individuals with cervical spondylosis. Methods: This study was a non-randomized cross-over cohort design. A total of 40 participants (men=20, and women=20) who were purposively selected, received a six-week infrared therapy, observed a one-week washout period, and then six-week concurrent infrared therapy and cervical traction. The PI and NDI were measured at baseline, after infrared therapy, the washout period, and infrared plus cervical traction. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA), Friedman’s ANOVA, independent samples t-test, and Kendall’s tau correlation test. Result: The mean age of the participants was 40±8.60 years. Infrared therapy plus cervical traction significantly reduced PI: [Formula: see text]2(3)=102.06, [Formula: see text], and NDI: F (1, 39) = 222.56, [Formula: see text], relative to infrared therapy alone. Specifically, the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for PI was 2.2, while infrared alone reduced the PI by 1.0 (Z = 4.633, [Formula: see text]), infrared therapy plus cervical traction reduced PI by 6.0 (Z = 7.405, [Formula: see text]). The MCID for NDI was 8.50, while infrared alone reduced the NDI by 1.05 (t = 30.087, [Formula: see text]), infrared therapy plus cervical traction reduced NDI by 15.83 ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). Conclusion: Concurrent infrared and cervical traction significantly reduced PI and NDI among patients with cervical spondylosis more than lone infrared therapy.