MOTion: Musculoskeletal physiotherapy and immune responses in neck pain

The working mechanism underlying musculoskeletal physiotherapy in patients with neck pain are currently unknown. A potential mechanism might be attenuation of the immune response.  In a subgroup of neck pain patients, namely patients with cervical radiculopathy, an additional and specific mechanism is expected. Increasing evidence indicates a role for neuro-inflammation in the pathophysiology of nerve injury, especially for activation of resident macrophages of the central nervous system: the microglia. Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy seems to be able to attenuate glial cell activation. However, the role of glial cells in cervical radiculopathy patients and influence of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy on glial cells in vivo is unknown. Therefore, the overall aim of this study is to gain insight into the immune response in patients with neck pain and cervical radiculopathy, the influence of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy on this immune response and the role of neuro-inflammation in patients with cervical radiculopathy.