THE ROLE OF MANUAL THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC CERVICAL PAINS

Abstract

Cervical back pain is one of the most important and common musculoskeletal disorders in medical recovery clinics and clinics. The main objective of the study was to highlight the effectiveness of an individualized therapeutic program adapted to the particularities of 22 subjects, which combines physical exercise with manual therapy. Subjects were randomly assigned to two equal groups. Group A - rehabilitation protocol consisting of therapeutic exercises (specific to the head, neck and upper limbs). Group B - rehabilitation protocol that included both therapeutic exercises and manual therapy (specific maneuvers of vertebral mobilization, massage, myofascial techniques, stretching and manipulations). The Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS) and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) were used to monitor the evolution of the research subjects, both of which have a specific applicability character to chronic pain. According to VAS (p <0.001), Group B showed mean values reduced to 2.2 ± 0.9 at week 12, compared to 7.3 ± 0.92, following the initial assessment. NDI values indicate better functional status after 12 weeks of treatment for both groups of subjects. NDI showed a beneficial decrease for Group B (13.2 ± 2.2 after 12 weeks, compared to 25.8 ± 2.3 in the first week). The mean results of VAS and NDI indicated a better evolution of symptoms in the case of the protocol that combined exercise and manual therapy (group B), but there were no statistically significant differences (compared to group A).