Evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of microkinesitherapy in post-traumatic cervicalgia. A randomized, double-blinded clinical trial.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a microkinesitherapy session on pain and the amplitudes of flexion-extension in post-traumatic acute neck pain. Methods: Randomized double blind clinical trial involving two groups of patients. The microkinesitherapy group benefitted from the check-up treatment sequence, the control group from a check-up simulation sequence. The primary outcome measure was evolution of pain, secondary endpoint amplitudes of movement. Results: 29 patients were studied: 15 in the microkinesitherapy group and 14 in the control group. A significant decrease in the visual analog scale (0-10) of pain was noted for the microkinesitherapy group (5,2 ± 2,3 at initial check-up versus 2.5 ± 1.7 in the second check-up, p <0.001), but no decrease in the control group (4,0 ± 2,3 initial check-up versus 3,1 ± 2,4 in the second check-up, ns). The evolution of the amplitude of flexion-extension was significant for the microkinesitherapy group (95° ± 29° ° in the first check-up versus 107° ± 27° in the second check-up, p <0.02) but no improvement in the control group (104° ± 26° initial check-up versus 107° ± 28° in the second check-up, ns). Conclusion: Our study shows that an early microkinesitherapy session is effective on pain and recovery of flexion-extension in the treated group.