What is the Preferred Angle of Traction to Decompress Cervical Nerve Roots?

What is the Preferred Angle of Traction to Decompress Cervical Nerve Roots?

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of different angles of decompression on the Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR) H-Reflex in patients with cervical radiculopathy

Cervical traction has long been defined as a distracting force that separate the cervical segments and relieve nerve roots compression. Yet, there is lack of knowledge that reports the effects of different traction decompression angles and determines the proper angle of pull among different angles of decompression system

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients will be included in the study if they have C5-C6 and C6-C7 paramedian disc protrusion manifested by unilateral symptoms in C6-C7 roots dermatome and myotomes of the upper extremities, second grade of disc bulge (2-3mm) which was detected from T2 axial view of MRI, and diagnosed as cervical disc protrusion (C5- C7) for at least three months.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Patients will be excluded from the study if they have upper cervical spine disc pathology, cord compression and upper motor neuron symptoms, curvature abnormalities of the neck including reversed curve (kyphotic) and deformities, cervical rib syndrome, double crush syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, text neck, short neck (churchill neck), marked facet joint, neuro-central joint arthropathic pathology, osteoporotic patients.