Effect of mckenzie method on pain and function in patients with cervicogenic headache

Abstract

Background: Individuals with cervicogenic headache (CGH) go through problems in activity of daily living, limitedsocial involvement, and emotional distress. CGH patients score the “worse” in the physical function category when compared to migraine patients. Aims: The aim was to study the effect of McKenzie complemented with conventional treatment on cervical rotation and headache in patients with CGH. Settings and Design: This was an experimental study design and systematic sampling method was used to collect data. The study setting was an Smt. Kashibai Navale General Hospital, Physiotherapy Outpatient Department, Pune, India. Methodology: Thirty subjects were selected with CGH which fulfills the criteria given by the CGH International Study Group. They were divided into two groups of 15 each. One group was given conventional treatment and the other was given conventional combined with McKenzie Method. Flexion–rotation test (FRT), Visual Analog Scale, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Headache Disability Index were used as outcome measures. Statistical Analysis Used: T-test was applied to see the difference in pre and post values for all variables in both the groups. All data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 21 with level of significance for all statistical tests set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: The results showed that FRT has a statistically significant difference in both the groups. Headache disability showed a significant improvement in both the groups with statistically significant difference P < 0.05, the improvement being greater in the experimental group than in the conventional group. Conclusion: This study showed that when the McKenzie method is complemented with the conventional treatment, it shows better improvement in function of the cervical dysfunctions that cause CGH and reduce the intensity of headache.

Keywords

• cervical dysfunction
• cervicogenic headache
• flexion–rotation test
• headache disability index
• mckenzie method