Published 7 October 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b3952
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b3952

Editorials

Mobilisation or immobilisation for cervical radiculopathy?

Let the patient decide

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In the linked randomised controlled study (doi:10.1136/bmj.b3883), Kuijper and colleagues assess the effectiveness of treatment with a semi-hard collar or physiotherapy compared with a wait and see policy in patients with cervical radiculopathy of recent onset.¹

Neck pain is common and costly. Each year about 15% of adults will experience a new episode of neck pain, and it accounts for up to 1% of total healthcare expenditure in the Netherlands.^{2 3} During any six months, about half of the adult population will report having neck pain, and close to 5% of the population will experience limitations in activity because of this pain. More than a third of adults with neck pain will have persistent symptoms, and about 20% of those who recover will have a recurrence within six months. The exact cause of neck pain is usually not known, and the condition is labelled non-specific or mechanical. Most patients . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ Division of Health Care and Outcomes Research, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T2S8, Canada

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