OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of spinal mobilization with leg movement (SMWLM) on low back and leg pain intensity, disability, pain centralization and patient satisfaction in subjects with lumbar radiculopathy. DESIGN: A double blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING: General Hospital PARTICIPANTS: Sixty adults (mean age 44 years) with sub-acute lumbar radiculopathy INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomly allocated to receive SMWLM, exercise and electrotherapy (n = 30) or exercise and electrotherapy alone (n = 30). All subjects received 6 sessions over 2 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were leg pain intensity and Oswestry disability index score. Secondary variables were low back pain intensity, global rating of change (GROC), straight leg raise (SLR) and lumbar range of motion (ROM). Variables were evaluated blind at base line, post intervention, and 3 and 6 months follow-up. RESULTS: Significant and clinically meaningful improvement occurred in all outcome variables. At 2 weeks the SMWLM group had significantly greater improvement than the control group in leg pain (MD 2.4, 95% CI 2.0 to 2.7) and disability (MD 3.9 (5.5 to 2.2). Similarly at 6 months the SMWLM group had significantly greater improvement than the control group in leg pain (MD 4.4, 95% CI 4.0 to 4.8) and disability (MD 4.7 (6.3 to 3.1). The SMWLM group also reported greater improvement in the GROC and in SLR ROM. CONCLUSION: In patients with lumbar radiculopathy, the addition of SMWLM provided significantly improved benefits in terms of leg and back pain, disability, SLR ROM and patient satisfaction in the short-and long-term.

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