Physiotherapy versus pain medication for managing chronic cervical radiculopathy: protocol for a multi-arm parallel-group randomized clinical trial

Background: Cervical radiculopathy (CR) is one of the prevalent causes neck pain and disability. Physiotherapy medications are common nonoperative management, in physiotherapy, there many concepts assessment management. This study aims to determine comparative effectiveness three specialized physiotherapy approaches or only for managing CR cases. Methods: A prospective, assessor, participant-blind, four-arm randomized control trial (RCT) has been planned conduct on 160 patients with chronic cervical 4 centers Dhaka city recruited between July December 2022. Four groups (n=40) will be treated through structural diagnosis management concept (SDM), regional (RA), McKenzie mechanical therapy (MDT) prescribed by advanced practice physiotherapist (APP), specialist physician weeks. The outcome evaluated baseline, intermediate test (14 days), post-treatment (28 days) Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) pain, Goniometer reading range motion (ROM), Neck disability index (NDI) as primary outcome. secondary quality life measured at baseline WHO questionnaire WHOQOL-BREF. Discussion: compare efficacy when treating radiculopathy. findings provide evidence demining best conservative approach CR. Clinical Trial Registry India: CTRI/2022/03/040922 (08/03/2022)