The Effect of Neurodynamic Mobilization Exercise on Lower Limb Pain in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatments: Other: Conservative Physiotherapy; Other: Neurodynamic mobilization exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02110940

HSEARS20140401001

Details and patient eligibility

About

This clinical trial is the first study to apply neurodynamic mobilization, a nervous system specific therapeutic exercise, on patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Objective of the study is to find out the effect of neurodynamic mobilization for joint inflammation in patients with RA.

Full description

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by generalized joints inflammation. With increasing investigation on the pathology, the treatment focus on the conditions shifted from a musculoskeletal point of view to a systemic approach. The awareness of holistic treatment was also increased.

Latest studies have found out the neurogenic inflammatory mechanism played an important role in the inflammatory process of RA, the pathological changes of neural tissues in RA were also noted.

This clinical trial is the first study to apply neurodynamic mobilization, a nervous system specific therapeutic exercise, on patients with RA. Objective of the study is to find out the effect of neurodynamic mobilization for joint inflammation in patients with RA.

Population Adults who are diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Intervention Neurodynamic Exercise

Comparison Standard conservative physiotherapy protocol

Outcome Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Scale (RAPS) C-reactive protein (CRP) test

Enrollment: 40 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The inclusion criteria was considered as patients with rheumatoid arthritis; presence of inflammatory condition on the joints on upper and / or lower limbs; Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Scale (RAPS) at least 10 points during activities of daily living; and adults (> 18 years of age) in either gender.

Exclusion criteria

• The exclusion criteria are: acute joint pain, physiotherapy or joint injections in the previous 3 months; change in corticosteroids in the previous month; and change in disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in the previous 3 months; subjects with poor balance or significant pain which neurodynamic mobilization is unable to perform.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

Conservative Physiotherapy

Active Comparator group

Description:

Subjects will be referred to the physiotherapy department to receive conventional physiotherapy treatment.

Treatment:

Other: Conservative Physiotherapy

Neurodynamic mobilization exercise

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group will be given three neurodynamic mobilization exercises which focus more on lower limbs and the major innervating cutaneous nerves - saphenous nerve, sciatica nerve and femoral nerve. Subjects will be instructed to practice everyday, each action repeat for 10 times.

Treatment:

Other: Neurodynamic mobilization exercise