Effect of Ultrasound Combined with Conventional Therapy on Neck Pain, Function, and Disability in Patients with Cervical Spondylosis: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous ultrasound [US] compared with placebo US combined with conventional physiotherapy program for patients with cervical spondylosis.

Methods: This was a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Patients, diagnosed with cervical spondylosis, were randomly assigned to one of two groups in an orthopedic physical therapy clinic: a group that received electrotherapy, exercise, hot packs, and therapeutic US [True US group] and a group that received electrotherapy, exercise, hot packs, and sham US [Sham US group]. Patients were treated, on average, three times per week for 4 weeks. Outcome measurements were collected at baseline and after 4 weeks using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, and Neck Disability Index.

Results: Analysis of variance showed that both groups had improved regarding Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, and Neck Disability Index [p < 0.05]. There was no significant difference between both groups for pretest and post-test values [p > 0.05] for all measures.

Conclusions: The addition of US to conventional physiotherapy program of electrotherapy, exercise, and hot packs yields no additional benefit to neck pain, function, or disability in patients with cervical spondylosis.

• Physical therapy
• cervical spondylosis
• ultrasound

Acknowledgements

The researchers gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr Abdellatif Elshazly Yousef Ali, Assistant Professor of English language education, Department of English, College of Languages and Translation, King Khalid University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in editing the language of the article [E-mail: [email protected]].