Comparison of effectiveness of muscle energy technique with Mulligan mobilization in patients with non-specific neck pain

Abstract Background: Neck pain is very common in general population. The onset of pain may be sudden or insidious, recurrent or persistent in nature. The prevalence of neck pain in Pakistan is not known. The neck pain that persists for more than 3 months is called chronic neck pain. There are different physiotherapy techniques to manage nonspecific neck pain including Mulligan mobilization and muscle energy technique. Objective: to compare the efficacy of muscle energy technique with Mulligan mobilization in patients having non-specific neck pain. Methodology: This quasi-experimental study was conducted at Mayo hospital physiotherapy department, Lahore. The study duration was six months from March 2017 to September 2017. Sample size calculated was 56 by using g power software. Random sampling technique was used. Subjects were divided into two groups. In the group 1 patients; muscle energy technique was used and in group 2; Mulligan mobilization as natural apophyseal glides (NAGs) and sustained natural apophyseal glides (SNAGs) were used. The pain intensity, functional status of neck and cervical range of motion (ROM) were measured before and after treatment session by using visual analogue (VAS), neck disability index (NDI) and goniometer. Independent t-test was applied for between group analysis. Results: The mean age of participants is 36.89±9.28. The mean improvement in pain intensity was 3.61 for the Muscle energy technique group and for Mulligan group it was 4.86 after three weeks’ treatment. The functional status score according to neck disability index (NDI) pre-treatment mean for the group 1 was 12.04±4.69 and Continuous....