Saptale Apurva, Patrekar Siddhi, Aphale Sawani, Shinde Sandeep
Department of Musculoskeletal Sciences, Krishna College of Physiotherapy, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Karad, IND.
Cureus. 2025 Jul 19;17(7):e88276. doi: 10.7759/cureus.88276. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Background Cervical facet joint syndrome (CFJS) is a common source of neck pain and disability, often limiting functional activities. While conventional physiotherapy provides symptomatic relief, it may not always ensure optimal recovery. Positional traction, when combined with mobilization with movement (MWM), is a promising strategy aimed at enhancing cervical mobility and reducing pain. Objectives This study evaluated the effectiveness of combining positional traction with MWM in reducing pain, improving function, and increasing cervical range of motion (ROM) in individuals with CFJS. Methods A comparative study was conducted involving 114 participants diagnosed with CFJS. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups using the envelope method. Group A (control) received conventional physiotherapy, while group B (experimental) received positional traction with MWM alongside conventional treatment. Pain, disability, and ROM were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and goniometric ROM evaluations, respectively. Data were analyzed pre- and post intervention using SPSS version 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Both groups showed significant improvement in all outcomes. The pain scores of group A decreased from 4.98 ± 0.61 to 2.49 ± 0.78 at rest and from 6.34 ± 0.46 to 3.04 ± 1.03 on activity. Group B showed a reduction from 4.83 ± 0.94 to 2.09 ± 0.76 at rest and from 6.09 ± 0.57 to 2.58 ± 0.85 on activity (p-value < 0.0001). However, group B exhibited greater improvements across all outcomes (p-value <0.0001). Post-intervention values revealed enhanced cervical mobility and a more pronounced reduction in pain and functional limitations in the experimental group. Conclusion Integrating positional traction with MWM into conventional physiotherapy yields superior clinical outcomes for CFJS patients. This combined approach effectively reduces pain and disability while improving cervical mobility and can be considered a valuable addition to rehabilitation programs.
颈椎小关节综合征（CFJS）是颈部疼痛和功能障碍的常见原因，常限制功能活动。虽然传统物理治疗能缓解症状，但不一定总能确保最佳恢复。体位牵引与运动中松动术（MWM）相结合，是一种旨在增强颈椎活动度和减轻疼痛的有前景的策略。
本研究评估体位牵引与MWM相结合对减轻CFJS患者疼痛、改善功能和增加颈椎活动范围（ROM）的有效性。
进行一项比较研究，纳入114例被诊断为CFJS的参与者。采用信封法将参与者随机分为两组。A组（对照组）接受传统物理治疗，而B组（实验组）在接受传统治疗的同时接受体位牵引与MWM。分别使用视觉模拟量表（VAS）、颈部功能障碍指数（NDI）和角度测量ROM评估疼痛、功能障碍和ROM。使用SPSS 26.0版（IBM公司，纽约州阿蒙克）对干预前后的数据进行分析。
两组在所有结果方面均有显著改善。A组静息时疼痛评分从4.98±0.61降至2.49±0.78，活动时从6.34±0.46降至3.04±1.03。B组静息时从4.83±0.94降至2.09±0.76，活动时从6.09±0.57降至2.58±0.85（p值<0.0001）。然而，B组在所有结果方面均有更大改善（p值<0.0001）。干预后数值显示实验组颈椎活动度增强，疼痛和功能受限的减轻更为明显。
将体位牵引与MWM纳入传统物理治疗对CFJS患者产生了更好的临床效果。这种联合方法有效减轻疼痛和功能障碍，同时改善颈椎活动度，可被视为康复计划的一项有价值补充。
