An interventional study of Intensive cervical traction protocol and Intensive cervical traction protocol - placebo in Radiculopathy and Cervical, sponsored by Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee. Recruiting at 8 sites in France. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-15.
Sponsored by Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
Cervical radiculopathy is a common disease related to compression of the nerve roots of the spine (prevalence: 3.5/1000). Dysfunction and pain are the main repercussions and can lead to time off work and high costs in terms of treatment.
Second-line surgical treatments appear to be less effective and present risks of side effects. In the first instance, treatments are conservative and include medication but above all physiotherapy with manual therapy, muscle exercises and cervical traction. These cervical tractions performed by a physiotherapist require little equipment and are inexpensive compared with the surgical alternative. They involve stretching the cervical spine and soft tissues to open the intervertebral foramen and mobilise the facet joints.
Several authors have written summaries of their interest. Thoomes reports two studies and describes an absence of effect. In a meta-analysis, Romeo et al. added three more recent studies to the previous review and concluded that traction is effective, highlighting an "effect-dose" relationship. These recent results therefore seem to reverse the recommendations made barely two years later. Nevertheless, almost all the studies compared "manual therapy + exercises" with "manual therapy + exercises + cervical traction". Only Young et al. tested "manual therapy + exercises + cervical traction at an effective weight" compared to "manual therapy + exercises + cervical traction placebo at an ineffective weight". The study did not reveal any difference between the groups. However, several limitations appear in this study when comparing the protocol to studies that have shown efficacy. The main limitation is the low intensity (i.e. protocol with fewer sessions and longer duration). These clinical limitations may explain the lack of evidence of a positive outcome. Following on from a preliminary study evaluating an intensive cervical traction protocol over five days, and in order to discern the effect specific to the treatment (specific effect) and the effect independent of the nature of the treatment (contextual effect), the investigators wish to evaluate the impact of this intensive protocol by comparing it with placebo traction.
In current practice, treatment varies between establishments. The paucity of studies on cervical traction in radiculopathy has resulted in routine use being guided by habit rather than evidence. It remains a clinical question which raises a major issue requiring a robust experimental design. Ultimately, this study follows on from a preliminary study and is part of a comprehensive research project aimed at proposing new recommendations for the use of traction in patients suffering from cervical radiculopathy. The investigators are investigating the impact of an intensive traction vs. placebo traction protocol in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
483 studies on the registry are indexed under Radiculopathy; 145 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 206 is above the median of 60 across 373 interventional studies indexed under Radiculopathy.
Browse Radiculopathy studies →Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee is the lead sponsor of 83 studies on the registry; 12 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Presence of at least three of the four signs clinically validating the presence of cervical radiculopathy (Wainner et al. 2003)
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Other: Intensive cervical traction protocol - placebo
Other: Intensive cervical traction protocol
2x/day over 5 weekdays A minimum of 8 pull-ups over 5 consecutive days is expected.
2x/day over 5 weekdays A minimum of 8 pull-ups over 5 consecutive days is expected.
Patients with a Neck Disability Index (NDI) score reduction of at least 7 points at M3.
The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) was established at 7 points out of 50 by (Cleland et al. 2006).
Time frame: At 3 months post cervical traction protocol
Not enrolling at this site.
Plan to share: No
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee