Role of Breathing Exercise in Patients with Cervical Radiculopathy: A Narrative Review

Background: Cervical radiculopathy is a relatively common neurological disorder resulting from nerve root dysfunction which is often due to mechanical compression Altered breathing patterns are frequently observed in individuals with chronic neck pain. Breathing re-education can immediately decrease excessive cervical muscle activity and enhance respiratory efficiency. Purpose: This review aimed to investigate the effect of breathing exercise on pain, neck mobility and functional outcome in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Methods: A comprehensive search of Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar was conducted using keywords such as cervical radiculopathy, breathing exercise, cervical range of motion and spirometer. search for literature was limited to English language works. Dissertations, oral presentations, conference papers, unpublished articles, and abstracts from smaller scientific investigations were excluded. Results: The evidence supports that using breathing exercise in patients with cervical radiculopathy could improve pain, neck mobility and functional outcome these exercises are proving to be a valuable adjunct to conventional therapy for individuals with cervical radiculopathy. Conclusion: This review concluded that using breathing exercise in patients with cervical radiculopathy could be considered as a key component of comprehensive physical therapy programs for patients with cervical radiculopathy.