Immediate effect of craniocervical flexion exercise and Mulligan mobilisation in patients with mechanical neck pain - A randomised clinical trial.
Ashwini Shelke, Anupama Prabhu B, Ganesh Balthillaya M and 2 others
PMID 37583921WHAT IT FOUND
Both craniocervical flexion exercises and Mulligan mobilisation reduced pain and improved neck movement immediately after one session.
Neither technique was superior to the other. Clinicians can choose either approach for acute mechanical neck pain, but this trial does not show if benefits last.
Key findings
01Both interventions significantly reduced pain intensity and improved cervical range of motion within their respective groups immediately after treatment.
02There was no statistically significant difference between the exercise group and the mobilisation group for pain or range of motion outcomes.
03Both groups showed significant improvement in craniocervical flexion test performance, with no difference between the two interventions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study only measured immediate effects after a single session, so it cannot determine if pain relief or improved movement lasted beyond the clinic visit. The sample size was small (26 participants), which limits the certainty of the findings. Participants had acute pain (less than three weeks), so results may not apply to chronic neck pain. The Mulligan group did not show improvement in neck rotation, unlike the exercise group, suggesting the specific movement patterns used in the mobilisation may not address rotational deficits as effectively.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that either treatment provides lasting pain relief. This study only measured outcomes immediately after a single session, so there is no evidence that these benefits persist over days or weeks.