Effects of intermittent traction in patients with cervical osteoarthritis

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease occuring after middle age. Because of the high mobility of the neck, OA is common in the cervical spine. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the effects of intermittent traction on patients with mild and moderate cervical OA. Therefore, 32 patients with cervical OA were recruited. Methods: Aclinical trial study was designed for patients with cervical OA that were randomly assigned in two equal groups. Control group received a routine physical therapy protocol which included moist heat, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and an exercise for neck and shoulder girdle. Experimental group received a routine physical therapy protocol plus intermittent traction (IT). Results: Pain and mobility improved in both groups. There was significant difference in interaction of the improvement of cervical pain between the two groups, the rate of pain reduction; sleep ease, medicine taking and range of motion (ROM) improvement in the experimental group were higher than that of the control group. Conclusion: The results justify the efficacy of IT, therefore it can be concluded that the IT is an effective modality for patients with mild and moderate cervical OA.