Abstract
A patient with neck pain with radicular symptoms affecting his right upper extremity was seen for physical therapy for 16 sessions over an 8-week period at an outpatient physical therapy clinic. Treatment was provided by a physical therapist student under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The patient was examined at the initial encounter with a complete subjective and objective examination, including pain intensity, neurological screening, grip strength, cervical range of motion, cervical radiculopathy testing, and administration of a Neck Disability Index. A plan of care was established to address pain, paresthesia, decreased cervical range of motion, decreased grip strength, disability, and restricted participation in family, work, and recreational activities. Main goals for the patient were to eliminate pain and paresthesia in the right upper extremity so that he could improve ability to perform activities such as reaching overhead, looking down, and sleeping to enable the patient to resume participation in the care of his son and home responsibilities, and improve his ability to exercise and work from his computer. Main interventions used were manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and patient education for the reduction of pain and radicular symptoms and improvement in tolerance of functional activities. The patient achieved improvements in right neck and arm pain, right upper extremity paresthesia, cervical range of motion, tolerance of functional activities, level of disability, and participation in family, recreational, and work activities. The patient was discharged to continue living at home with a home exercise program.