Are Stabilisation Exercises Effective After Epidural Steroid Injection in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy? A Prospective Randomised Controlled Trial.

研究概要

Sixty-two patients with chronic cervical radiculopathy due to disc herniation were randomised to receive either ILESI alone (n=20), neck stabilisation exercises (n=18) following ILESI, or scapular stabilisation exercises (n=18) after ILESI. The primary outcome was the change in pain severity measured by the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for neck and arm pain. Secondary outcomes included the Neck Disability Index (NDI) for functionality and the Short Form-12 (SF-12) for quality of life. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline, 1 and 3 months post-treatment. Overall, the results of the study revealed that while all groups showed significant improvements in pain and disability, the neck stabilisation group demonstrated the greatest improvements in NRS for neck pain, NDI, and SF-12 physical scores at both 1 and 3 months. This suggests that adding neck stabilisation exercises to ILESI enhances outcomes in patients with cervical radiculopathy.