The Effect of Joint Mobilization and Exercise on Pain, Range of Motion and Cervical Motor Control in People with Chronic Cervicogenic Headache

Abstract

Background: Cervicogenic headache is referred to as a chronic unilateral headache due to a dysfunction of the neck structures. There are several perspectives on the causes, introducing different treatment techniques from passive techniques to active exercise. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of joint mobilization and exercise therapy on pain, range of motion and cervical motor control in patients with chronic cervicogenic headache. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial. Twenty-six patients aged between 18 and 45 years and in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups: mobilization and exercise therapy. Twelve treatment sessions with three sessions in four weeks were performed on participants. Headache parameters, craniocervical test, headache disability index, cervical range of motion were measured before, after and one month after treatment by questionnaire, pressure biofeedback and OptiTrack motion analyzers, respectively. Data analyzed by ANOVA repeated measurement test. Result: These results showed there were significant changed in subjective variables in both groups (p<0.05). In exercise group, cervical range of motion and Craniocervical flexion test showed significant improvement (p<0.05). Follow-up results showed that in exercise group, improvement in range of motion were still better than mobilization group (p<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of the study, mobilization and exercises therapy decreased pain and increased cervical range of motion and upper cervical motor control in patients with chronic cervicogenic headache. Although, the exercise therapy was more effective than mobilization in constancy and increasing of cervical range of motion and symptom‎.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Frontiers in Health Informatics, 2025 · DOI ↗