The effectiveness of exercise on cervical radiculopathy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Significant functional limitations and disabilities are common presenting complaints for people suffering from cervical radiculopathy. Exercise is a common conservative treatment for this disease. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the efficacy of exercise in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. METHODS: A systematic literature search for studies will be performed in 7 databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Wanfang database, and VIP database. The methodological quality of the included studies using the risk bias assessment tool of Cochrane and the level of evidence for results are assessed by the GRADE method. Statistical analysis is conducted with Revman 5.3. RESULTS: This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide a synthesis of existed evidences for exercise on cervical radiculopathy. CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this study will provide evidence to assess effectiveness of exercise on cervical radiculopathy, which can further guide clinical decision-making. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019121886