Cervical RadiculopathyNCT07326202
Gait Asymmetry And Its Relationship With Neck Pain And Muscles Strength In Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy
An observational study of Cervical Radiculopathy, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
This study will be conducted to: Investigate the relationship between neck pain severity and bilateral gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Investigate the relationship between deep neck flexors strength and gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 40 to 50 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- How many people
- 61 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 30 Dec 2025to 30 Mar 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- 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 40 to 50 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Study population: Sixty one patients with cervical radiculopathy of both sexes will participate in this study. Patients will be diagnosed as having cervical radiculopathy by neurologist based on a careful clinical examination and will be confirmed by investigations as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients will be selected from the Outpatient Clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, and the British University in Egypt
Who may be able to join
- Patients with unilateral cervical radiculopathy at level of C5-C6 and C6-C7 confirmed by MRI.
- Patient's age will be ranged from 40 to 50 years.
- Patients with chronic symptoms > 3 months.
- Patients with decreased strength in cervical or upper limb muscles.
- Ability to walk independently without assistive devices.
- Patients with normal body mass index (BMI) (< 30kg/m²) .
Who cannot join
- Bilateral cervical radiculopathy.
- History of cervical spine surgery or instability.
- Diagnosed with myelopathy, canal stenosis, or severe disc protrusion.
- History of vestibular dysfunction, stroke, or severe cognitive impairment.
- Any Lower limb dysfunction affecting walking.
- Peripheral neuropathy or uncontrolled diabetes.
- Psychiatric diseases
- Pregnancy.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
This study will be conducted to:
- Investigate the relationship between neck pain severity and bilateral gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
- Investigate the relationship between deep neck flexors strength and gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
- Investigate the relationship between upper limb muscles strength and bilateral gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
- Determine factors predicting bilateral gait asymmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
Read the detailed description
Cervical pain and upper limb radiculopathy put a huge burden on patients due to its sensory dysfunction manifestations and also affect its motor capabilities, specifically the gait performance, understanding how cervical and upper limb pain or/and weakness contribute to gait disturbance can guide us to make a better assessment and rehabilitation program for each patient individually.
Gait symmetry is considered as a very important factor to guarantee a safe and effective walking and for the daily movement, recent studies found out that patients with chronic neck pain and radiculopathy have slower gait pattern and increase of gait asymmetry which can impair balance and functional mobility. Also, the alteration of the cervical and upper limb muscle strength can impair the whole-body dynamic stability and increase the gait asymmetry.
Altered gait symmetry has been linked to increase the risk of falling and disability, so getting to know some of its contributors and treat it (such as specific muscle strengthening) can enhance patient mobility and reduce fall morbidity.
To our best knowledge, there are no studies about the relationship between neck pain, muscle strength in patients with cervical radiculopathy, so this study will be conducted to investigate the gait asymmetry and its relationship with neck pain and muscles strength in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
- Conditions
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Medical subject headings
- Radiculopathy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Other
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cervical radiculopathy group | Sixty-one patients with cervical radiculopathy of both sexes will participate in this study. Patients will be diagnosed as having cervical radiculopathy by neurologist based on a careful clinical examination and will be confirmed by investigations as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain Assessment
The level of upper limb and neck pain will be captured separately with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Using an 11-point scale, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable), participants will be asked to answer the following question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 = no pain and 10 = worst pain, evaluate the intensity of your neck pain at this moment ". The same question will be asked for the upper limb. The NPRS is frequently used in clinical studies in association with the neck disability index.
Measured: 1 day
Assessment of function and disability
Arabic version of Neck Disability Index (NDI) will be used to assess disability and function limitation caused by neck pain. It has demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha between 0.88 and 0.94) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.90-0.98). It includes 10 items, each scored on a 0-5 scale, about: personal care, lifting, reading, concentration, work, driving, and sleeping. The total maximum score is 50 and categorize disability from none to complete , The Arabic version of NDI is a strong valid method for assessing self-rated disability in patients with neck pain with excellent "test-retest" reliability. Based on the total score (out of 50), disability will be categorized as:
0-4 = no disability, 5-14 = mild, 15-24 = moderate, 25-34 = severe, >34 = complete disability
Measured: 1 day
strength of deep neck flexors
Pressure Biofeedback Unit (PBU) will be used to assess deep neck flexor strength.
From a supine position and both knees bent in flexion and arms relaxed at the sides. The PBU cuff will be placed under the suboccipital region of his neck and then inflated to a baseline pressure of 20 mmHg. Patients will be instructed to perform a gentle chin in motion without lifting their heads off the surface or activating superficial muscles. The patient will then be guided to increase the pressure in 2 mmHg stages to a maximum of 30 mmHg, and to hold each stage for 10 seconds taking no rest intervals between his attempts. The maximum pressure which he achieves and holds correctly without compensatory strategies will be recorded. 3 trials will be conducted.
Measured: 1 day
Upper limb strength assessment
Upper limb strength will be measured using a hand-held dynamometer. Participants will be seated in upright posture, with their shoulders adducted and neutrally rotated, and their elbows will be flexed at 90 degrees, their forearms will be placed in a neutral position, and their wrists extended between 0-30 degrees, testing protocol. Each participant will be instructed to grip the dynamometer with his maximum effort for about 3-5 seconds. The participant will receive consistent verbal encouragement from the assessor to ensure maximal voluntary contraction is achieved. Each participant will perform 3 trials on their affected side, with a one-minute rest between his attempts to avoid muscle fatigue.
Measured: 1 day
Cadence
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Cadence is the number of steps taken per minute (steps/minutes).
Measured: 1 day
Gait Velocity
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Gait Velocity is the average walking speed, calculated as Gait Distance divided by Gait Time (centimeter/second).
Measured: 1 day
Symmetry Index (SI)
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Symmetry Index (SI) is a calculated percentage representing the degree of asymmetry between the right and left sides for any given gait parameter (%).
Formula used:
SI = [(Right - Left) / 0.5 * (Right + Left)] * 100.
Measured: 1 day
Step Time symmetry index
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Step time is the percentage of asymmetry between the right step time and the left step time (%).
Measured: 1 day
Step Length symmetry index
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Step Length is a percentage of asymmetry between the right step length and the left step length (%).
Measured: 1 day
Single Support Time symmetry index
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Single Support Time is the percentage of asymmetry between the average right single support time and the average left single support time (%).
Measured: 1 day
Double Support Time symmetry index
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Double Support Time is the percentage of asymmetry between the average right total double support time and the average left total double support time (%).
Measured: 1 day
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Jan 2026
- Study start30 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion25 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Mar 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Cervical RadiculopathyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo 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
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 61 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Hossam Abdel Wahab Mohamed, Cairo University
- Investigators
- Ebtesam Fahmy, Professor, Study director, Cairo UniversityNagwa Rehab, Professor, Study chair, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07326202
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P.T.REC/012/005942
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 24 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 8 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Gait Asymmetry And Its Relationship With Neck Pain And Muscles Strength In Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07326202
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- P.T.REC/012/005942
- Conditions
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 61 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 25 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 8 Jan 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.
This study will be conducted to:
- Investigate the relationship between neck pain severity and bilateral gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
- Investigate the relationship between deep neck flexors strength and gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
- Investigate the relationship between upper limb muscles strength and bilateral gait symmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
- Determine factors predicting bilateral gait asymmetry in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
Detailed description
Cervical pain and upper limb radiculopathy put a huge burden on patients due to its sensory dysfunction manifestations and also affect its motor capabilities, specifically the gait performance, understanding how cervical and upper limb pain or/and weakness contribute to gait disturbance can guide us to make a better assessment and rehabilitation program for each patient individually.
Gait symmetry is considered as a very important factor to guarantee a safe and effective walking and for the daily movement, recent studies found out that patients with chronic neck pain and radiculopathy have slower gait pattern and increase of gait asymmetry which can impair balance and functional mobility. Also, the alteration of the cervical and upper limb muscle strength can impair the whole-body dynamic stability and increase the gait asymmetry.
Altered gait symmetry has been linked to increase the risk of falling and disability, so getting to know some of its contributors and treat it (such as specific muscle strengthening) can enhance patient mobility and reduce fall morbidity.
To our best knowledge, there are no studies about the relationship between neck pain, muscle strength in patients with cervical radiculopathy, so this study will be conducted to investigate the gait asymmetry and its relationship with neck pain and muscles strength in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Cervical radiculopathy group | – | –Sixty-one patients with cervical radiculopathy of both sexes will participate in this study. Patients will be diagnosed as having cervical radiculopathy by neurologist based on a careful clinical examination and will be confirmed by investigations as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 40 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
- Study population
- Sixty one patients with cervical radiculopathy of both sexes will participate in this study. Patients will be diagnosed as having cervical radiculopathy by neurologist based on a careful clinical examination and will be confirmed by investigations as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients will be selected from the Outpatient Clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, and the British University in Egypt
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Patients with unilateral cervical radiculopathy at level of C5-C6 and C6-C7 confirmed by MRI.
- Patient's age will be ranged from 40 to 50 years.
- Patients with chronic symptoms > 3 months.
- Patients with decreased strength in cervical or upper limb muscles.
- Ability to walk independently without assistive devices.
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Bilateral cervical radiculopathy.
- History of cervical spine surgery or instability.
- Diagnosed with myelopathy, canal stenosis, or severe disc protrusion.
- History of vestibular dysfunction, stroke, or severe cognitive impairment.
- Any Lower limb dysfunction affecting walking.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Cervical radiculopathy group |
Primary outcome
Pain Assessment
Time frame: 1 day
The level of upper limb and neck pain will be captured separately with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Using an 11-point scale, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable), participants will be asked to answer the following question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 = no pain and 10 = worst pain, evaluate the intensity of your neck pain at this moment ". The same question will be asked for the upper limb. The NPRS is frequently used in clinical studies in association with the neck disability index.
Assessment of function and disability
Time frame: 1 day
Arabic version of Neck Disability Index (NDI) will be used to assess disability and function limitation caused by neck pain. It has demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha between 0.88 and 0.94) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.90-0.98). It includes 10 items, each scored on a 0-5 scale, about: personal care, lifting, reading, concentration, work, driving, and sleeping. The total maximum score is 50 and categorize disability from none to complete , The Arabic version of NDI is a strong valid method for assessing self-rated disability in patients with neck pain with excellent "test-retest" reliability. Based on the total score (out of 50), disability will be categorized as: 0-4 = no disability, 5-14 = mild, 15-24 = moderate, 25-34 = severe, >34 = complete disability
strength of deep neck flexors
Time frame: 1 day
Pressure Biofeedback Unit (PBU) will be used to assess deep neck flexor strength. From a supine position and both knees bent in flexion and arms relaxed at the sides. The PBU cuff will be placed under the suboccipital region of his neck and then inflated to a baseline pressure of 20 mmHg. Patients will be instructed to perform a gentle chin in motion without lifting their heads off the surface or activating superficial muscles. The patient will then be guided to increase the pressure in 2 mmHg stages to a maximum of 30 mmHg, and to hold each stage for 10 seconds taking no rest intervals between his attempts. The maximum pressure which he achieves and holds correctly without compensatory strategies will be recorded. 3 trials will be conducted.
Upper limb strength assessment
Time frame: 1 day
Upper limb strength will be measured using a hand-held dynamometer. Participants will be seated in upright posture, with their shoulders adducted and neutrally rotated, and their elbows will be flexed at 90 degrees, their forearms will be placed in a neutral position, and their wrists extended between 0-30 degrees, testing protocol. Each participant will be instructed to grip the dynamometer with his maximum effort for about 3-5 seconds. The participant will receive consistent verbal encouragement from the assessor to ensure maximal voluntary contraction is achieved. Each participant will perform 3 trials on their affected side, with a one-minute rest between his attempts to avoid muscle fatigue.
Cadence
Time frame: 1 day
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Cadence is the number of steps taken per minute (steps/minutes).
Gait Velocity
Time frame: 1 day
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Gait Velocity is the average walking speed, calculated as Gait Distance divided by Gait Time (centimeter/second).
Symmetry Index (SI)
Time frame: 1 day
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Symmetry Index (SI) is a calculated percentage representing the degree of asymmetry between the right and left sides for any given gait parameter (%). Formula used: SI = [(Right - Left) / 0.5 * (Right + Left)] * 100.
Step Time symmetry index
Time frame: 1 day
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Step time is the percentage of asymmetry between the right step time and the left step time (%).
Step Length symmetry index
Time frame: 1 day
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Step Length is a percentage of asymmetry between the right step length and the left step length (%).
Single Support Time symmetry index
Time frame: 1 day
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Single Support Time is the percentage of asymmetry between the average right single support time and the average left single support time (%).
Double Support Time symmetry index
Time frame: 1 day
The Tekscan Strideway™ system will be used to objectively assess spatiotemporal gait parameters for all participants with cervical radiculopathy. Double Support Time is the percentage of asymmetry between the average right total double support time and the average left total double support time (%).
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 8 Jan 2026.
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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.
Ebtesam Fahmy, Professor study director
Cairo University
Nagwa Rehab, Professor study chair
Cairo University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Cervical Radiculopathy, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
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 6 inclusion and 8 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jan 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 Egypt. 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?
Contact Hossam Mohamed, Master (01158446327, Hdortumond@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain Assessment (time frame: 1 day). The study lists 11 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 8 Jan 2026.