Lumbar RadiculopathyNCT07641972
Comparative Effects of Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement, and Mechanical Traction in Lumbar Spine Radiculopathy.
A study testing Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement and Mechanical Lumbar Traction in people with Lumbar Radiculopathy, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
Recruitment: Individuals with the lumbar spine radiculopathy diagnosis will undergo screening to determine their eligibility based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligible participants will be asked for their informed consent. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 25 to 50 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- What is being tested?
- Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement and Mechanical Lumbar Traction
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 2 Jun 2025to 4 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 25 to 50 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Middle Age 25 to 50 years
- Both male and female of middle aged
- Subacute or chronic lumbar radiculopathy lasting 4 to 12 weeks
- Clinically diagnosed lumbar spine radiculopathy
- Pain radiating from lumbar region to the leg in one or more dermatomal distribution of the lumbosacral nerve root
- Moderate functional disability as indicated by Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) >20%
- Willing to participate and provide written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Acute pain (<4 weeks)
- Contraindications to manual therapy or traction such as spinal instability
- significant musculoskeletal conditions, cerebrovascular accidents, psychiatric illness, or major systemic illness
- Neurological compromised, other radicular pain (e.g., piriformis syndrome, diabetic radiculopathy, vascular impingement of the sciatic nerve)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Comparative Effects of Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement, and Mechanical Traction on Pain, Lumbar Mobility and Functional Disability in Patients With Lumbar Spine Radiculopathy.
Recruitment: Individuals with the lumbar spine radiculopathy diagnosis will undergo screening to determine their eligibility based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligible participants will be asked for their informed consent. Enrollment: Participants will receive a unique identifying code to maintain confidentiality and be formally enrolled in the study upon obtaining informed consent. Following that, they will have baseline evaluations for outcome factors such as numeric pain rating scale, Oswestry disability index, and modified-modified Schober test. After completing the baseline evaluation, participants will be divided into two groups: Group A will receive the Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement, while Group B will receive mechanical lumbar traction. Every participant will get treatment for four weeks, with three sessions per week. At the conclusion of the intervention period, a post-intervention assessment will be carried out.
Read the detailed description
Recruitment: Individuals with the lumbar spine radiculopathy diagnosis will undergo screening to determine their eligibility based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligible participants will be asked for their informed consent. Enrollment: Participants will receive a unique identifying code to maintain confidentiality and be formally enrolled in the study upon obtaining informed consent. Following that, they will have baseline evaluations for outcome factors such as numeric pain rating scale, Oswestry disability index, and modified-modified Schober test. After completing the baseline evaluation, participants will be divided into two groups: Group A will receive the Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement, while Group B will receive mechanical lumbar traction. Every participant will get treatment for four weeks, with three sessions per week. At the conclusion of the intervention period, a post-intervention assessment will be carried out. Randomization: Random allocation of participants into the two groups, Group A and Group B, will be performed by a lottery method. The participants of Group A will be managed by Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement while in Group B, participants will receive mechanical lumbar traction. The physiotherapists will provide both interventions during a specified period. Blindness: A single blinded study in which patients will be blinded.
- Conditions
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Being tested
- Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement, Mechanical Lumbar Traction
- Keywords
- lumber spine radiculopathy, Spinal Mobilization with Leg Movement., mulligan belt traction, Mechanical traction on pain
- Medical subject headings
- Radiculopathy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Spinal Mobilization With Leg MovementOther
Group A: Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement with Conventional Therapy Patient Position: The participants were positioned in a side-lying position on their unaffected side, close to the edge of the treatment table. Therapist Position: The affected leg was supported by therapist B and extended with a slight abduction of 10° at the hip and a knee flexion of 45°.Application of Technique: Therapist A applied and sustained a transverse glide of the spinous process toward the floor. The participants actively moved the leg into the SLR with therapist B's assistance. The L4 vertebra was selected if the participant had an L4/L5 lesion. Therapist A carefully assisted the participants to perform active SLR in a gliding position with the help of therapist B to avoid symptom recurrence during movement. If pain recurred, the participant was instructed to relax and hold the position for 3 s, and then return to the starting point(29).
Mechanical Lumbar TractionOther
Group B: Mechanical Lumbar Traction with Conventional Therapy Patient Position: Patient position supine (lying on the back) with hips and knees flexed (pillows under the knees). However, prone (lying on the stomach) positioning can also be utilized, particularly when the patient experiences discomfort or when targeting anterior structures of the spine. Traction Technique: Mechanical lumbar traction is a technique that uses a machine to apply a controlled, distracting force to the lumbar spine. This can help relieve pressure on the spinal nerves, reduce muscle spasms, and improve spinal alignment. It's typically performed using a traction table and harnesses to gently pull the lower body away from the upper body. Duration: For lumbar traction, sessions usually range from 20 to 30 minutes, with a frequency of several times per week(30). Warm Up: 5minutes warm-up will be given before intervention to participants of both groups.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement | Experimental | Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement Receives: Other: Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement |
| conventional therapy | Active comparator | 5 minutes conventional therapy with patient education will be given to participants of both groups according to the severity of their condition along with allocated intervention. This includes; directional preference exercises (e.g., McKenzie), core activation exercises, trunk and hip muscles strengthening and neurodynamic mobilization if nerve symptoms persist. Receives: Other: Mechanical Lumbar Traction |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
numeric pain rating scale
NUMERIC PAIN RATING SCALE (NPRS) The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is a validated tool used to measure pain intensity. Patients will be asked to rate their current pain severity on a scale from 0 to 10. Scoring can be obtained by calculating the mean score over a period of time or by tracking individual scores
Measured: Baseline to 4 weeks
Lumbar Mobility
OSWESTRY DISABILITY INDEX (ODI) The ODI is a ten-item questionnaire that assesses how back pain affects the patient's ability to perform daily activities of life (ADL). It is a reliable and valid self-reported questionnaire that lasts 5 min for the patient to complete the measure and a few minutes for the examiner to calculate the scores. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, and the summation of the ten scores is stated as a percentage of the maximum score; therefore, it ranges from 0 (no disability) to 100 (maximum disability)
Measured: Baseline to 4 weeks
Functional Disability
MODIFIED MODIFIED SCHOBER TEST (MMST) The Modified Modified Schober Test (MMST) is a clinical assessment of lumbar spine mobility where two marks are made on the patient's back-one at the midpoint between the posterior superior iliac spines (PSIS) and another 15 cm above it. The patient then bends forward maximally, and the increase in distance between the marks is measured; a normal increase is ≥5 cm, while reduced expansion suggests restricted lumbar flexion, as seen in conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, degenerative disc disease, or radiculopathy.
Measured: Baseline to 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Jun 2026
- Study start2 Jun 2025
- Primary completion6 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion4 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Lumbar RadiculopathyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Riphah International UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Riphah International University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Tazeem Afzal, Ms, Principal investigator, Riphah International University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07641972
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- REC/RCR & AHS/25/0212
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 11 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: nill
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparative Effects of Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement, and Mechanical Traction on Pain, Lumbar Mobility and Functional Disability in Patients With Lumbar Spine Radiculopathy.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07641972
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- REC/RCR & AHS/25/0212
- Conditions
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Keywords
- lumber spine radiculopathy, Spinal Mobilization with Leg Movement., mulligan belt traction, Mechanical traction on pain
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Riphah International UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 2 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 6 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 4 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 11 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Recruitment: Individuals with the lumbar spine radiculopathy diagnosis will undergo screening to determine their eligibility based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligible participants will be asked for their informed consent. Enrollment: Participants will receive a unique identifying code to maintain confidentiality and be formally enrolled in the study upon obtaining informed consent. Following that, they will have baseline evaluations for outcome factors such as numeric pain rating scale, Oswestry disability index, and modified-modified Schober test. After completing the baseline evaluation, participants will be divided into two groups: Group A will receive the Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement, while Group B will receive mechanical lumbar traction. Every participant will get treatment for four weeks, with three sessions per week. At the conclusion of the intervention period, a post-intervention assessment will be carried out.
Detailed description
Recruitment: Individuals with the lumbar spine radiculopathy diagnosis will undergo screening to determine their eligibility based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligible participants will be asked for their informed consent. Enrollment: Participants will receive a unique identifying code to maintain confidentiality and be formally enrolled in the study upon obtaining informed consent. Following that, they will have baseline evaluations for outcome factors such as numeric pain rating scale, Oswestry disability index, and modified-modified Schober test. After completing the baseline evaluation, participants will be divided into two groups: Group A will receive the Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement, while Group B will receive mechanical lumbar traction. Every participant will get treatment for four weeks, with three sessions per week. At the conclusion of the intervention period, a post-intervention assessment will be carried out. Randomization: Random allocation of participants into the two groups, Group A and Group B, will be performed by a lottery method. The participants of Group A will be managed by Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement while in Group B, participants will receive mechanical lumbar traction. The physiotherapists will provide both interventions during a specified period. Blindness: A single blinded study in which patients will be blinded.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement | Experimental | Other: Spinal Mobilization With Leg MovementSpinal Mobilization With Leg Movement |
| conventional therapy | Active comparator | Other: Mechanical Lumbar Traction5 minutes conventional therapy with patient education will be given to participants of both groups according to the severity of their condition along with allocated intervention. This includes; directional preference exercises (e.g., McKenzie), core activation exercises, trunk and hip muscles strengthening and neurodynamic mobilization if nerve symptoms persist. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 25 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Middle Age 25 to 50 years
- Both male and female of middle aged
- Subacute or chronic lumbar radiculopathy lasting 4 to 12 weeks
- Clinically diagnosed lumbar spine radiculopathy
- Pain radiating from lumbar region to the leg in one or more dermatomal distribution of the lumbosacral nerve root
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Acute pain (<4 weeks)
- Contraindications to manual therapy or traction such as spinal instability
- significant musculoskeletal conditions, cerebrovascular accidents, psychiatric illness, or major systemic illness
- Neurological compromised, other radicular pain (e.g., piriformis syndrome, diabetic radiculopathy, vascular impingement of the sciatic nerve)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Spinal Mobilization With Leg MovementGroup A: Mulligan's spinal mobilization with leg movement with Conventional Therapy Patient Position: The participants were positioned in a side-lying position on their unaffected side, close to the edge of the treatment table. Therapist Position: The affected leg was supported by therapist B and extended with a slight abduction of 10° at the hip and a knee flexion of 45°.Application of Technique: Therapist A applied and sustained a transverse glide of the spinous process toward the floor. The participants actively moved the leg into the SLR with therapist B's assistance. The L4 vertebra was selected if the participant had an L4/L5 lesion. Therapist A carefully assisted the participants to perform active SLR in a gliding position with the help of therapist B to avoid symptom recurrence during movement. If pain recurred, the participant was instructed to relax and hold the position for 3 s, and then return to the starting point(29). | Other | Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement |
| Mechanical Lumbar TractionGroup B: Mechanical Lumbar Traction with Conventional Therapy Patient Position: Patient position supine (lying on the back) with hips and knees flexed (pillows under the knees). However, prone (lying on the stomach) positioning can also be utilized, particularly when the patient experiences discomfort or when targeting anterior structures of the spine. Traction Technique: Mechanical lumbar traction is a technique that uses a machine to apply a controlled, distracting force to the lumbar spine. This can help relieve pressure on the spinal nerves, reduce muscle spasms, and improve spinal alignment. It's typically performed using a traction table and harnesses to gently pull the lower body away from the upper body. Duration: For lumbar traction, sessions usually range from 20 to 30 minutes, with a frequency of several times per week(30). Warm Up: 5minutes warm-up will be given before intervention to participants of both groups. | Other | conventional therapy |
Primary outcome
numeric pain rating scale
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
NUMERIC PAIN RATING SCALE (NPRS) The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is a validated tool used to measure pain intensity. Patients will be asked to rate their current pain severity on a scale from 0 to 10. Scoring can be obtained by calculating the mean score over a period of time or by tracking individual scores
Lumbar Mobility
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
OSWESTRY DISABILITY INDEX (ODI) The ODI is a ten-item questionnaire that assesses how back pain affects the patient's ability to perform daily activities of life (ADL). It is a reliable and valid self-reported questionnaire that lasts 5 min for the patient to complete the measure and a few minutes for the examiner to calculate the scores. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, and the summation of the ten scores is stated as a percentage of the maximum score; therefore, it ranges from 0 (no disability) to 100 (maximum disability)
Functional Disability
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
MODIFIED MODIFIED SCHOBER TEST (MMST) The Modified Modified Schober Test (MMST) is a clinical assessment of lumbar spine mobility where two marks are made on the patient's back-one at the midpoint between the posterior superior iliac spines (PSIS) and another 15 cm above it. The patient then bends forward maximally, and the increase in distance between the marks is measured; a normal increase is ≥5 cm, while reduced expansion suggests restricted lumbar flexion, as seen in conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, degenerative disc disease, or radiculopathy.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. nill
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Tazeem Afzal, Ms principal investigator
Riphah International University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement and Mechanical Lumbar Traction in people with Lumbar Radiculopathy, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
numeric pain rating scale (time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Jun 2026.