NCT05952167: TracCerv2

Evaluation of the Impact of Tractions vs. Placebo Tractions in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy

Recruiting now NA Last updated 15 April 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Intensive cervical traction protocol in Radiculopathy in 206 participants. Currently enrolling.

Timeline

25 March 2024

Primary endpoint
25 December 2030

25 September 2031

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee
Phase	NA
Status	Recruiting now
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	single
Primary purpose	supportive care
Enrollment	206
Start date	25 March 2024
Primary completion	25 December 2030
Estimated completion	25 September 2031
Sites	8 locations across France

Drugs / interventions tested

• Intensive cervical traction protocol
• Intensive cervical traction protocol - placebo

Conditions studied

• Radiculopathy — all drugs for Radiculopathy →
• Cervical — all drugs for Cervical →

Sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Radiculopathy or Cervical. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

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.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. The effect of mechanical traction on cervical radiculopathy: protocol for the TracCerv2 single-blind, randomised controlled trial.
   Cormier G, Moreau C, Scalisi E, Pastor L, et al · · 2025 · cited 2× · PMID 39953437 · DOI 10.1186/s12906-025-04801-5