Upper Cervical Mobilization vs. Sub-Occipital MET for Neck Pain and FHP

Upper Cervical Translatoric Mobilization Versus Sub Occipital Muscle Energy Technique in Patients With Mechanical Neck Pain and Forward Head Posture

forty-five patients with MNP and FHP age from 25-40 years will be randomly assigned into three groups: Group A (study): 15patients will receive (upper cervical translatoric mobilization) and traditional physical therapy, Group B (study): 15patients received sub occipital muscle energy technique and traditional physical therapy, and Group C (control): 15 patients will receive the traditional physical therapy treatment only . Interventions will be conducted three times a week for four weeks. Craniovertebral angle (CVA) using Photographic Posture Analysis Method (surgimap software), pain intensity using viual analogue scale (VAS), Cervical ROM using CROM device, and neck functional ability using Neck Disability Index (NDI) will be assessed for all participants before and after the treatment program.

This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of Upper Cervical Translatoric Mobilization (UC-TSM) and Sub-Occipital Muscle Energy Technique (MET) in patients with Mechanical Neck Pain (MNP) and Forward Head Posture (FHP). Forty-five participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: Group A (UC-TSM + conventional physical therapy), Group B (Sub-Occipital MET + conventional physical therapy), and Group C (conventional physical therapy only). Interventions will be administered three times per week for four weeks. Outcomes include pain intensity (VAS), neck disability (NDI), cervical range of motion (CROM), and craniovertebral angle (CVA) assessed via photographic analysis (Surgimap). The study will be conducted at Benha University.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients aged from 20-60 Years
• suffering from M echanical neck pain with Craniovertebral angle ; < 53
• their NDI ranging from 30-48% [9]. Patients were excluded from the study if they have injury or trauma to cervical region, spinal surgery, cervical canal stenosis, radicular pain and malignancy.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients were excluded from the study if they have injury or trauma to cervical region, spinal surgery, cervical canal stenosis, radicular pain and malignancy.