The Effect of Directional Specific Thoracic Spine Mobilization on Cervical Spine Pain

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Neck Pain
• Interventions: Other: thoracic spine manipulation

• Registration Number: NCT01917071
• Lead Sponsor: Chatham University

Brief Summary

Hypothesis: There is no difference in directional specific manipulation of the thoracic spine for patients with neck pain.

Patients seeking physical therapy for neck pain routinely have their thoracic spine manipulated. This study seeks to determine if directional limitations in the spine can be specifically determined and treated to decrease neck pain.

Detailed Description

Manipulation of the thoracic spine is the most commonly used manual therapy intervention by manual therapists. It is not known whether we can accurately assess and treat directional limitations in the thoracic spine to improve neck pain.

One way is to assess where the limitation is and treat it. Another method is to distract the joint. We want to know if matching the limitation to the manipulation method will give patients with neck pain better results.

The patient lays on their back. The therapist places a hand on the inferior vertebrae of the motion segment. The patient relaxes and the therapist pushes in an anterior to posterior direction either moving the vertebrae into flexion or entension.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2013-08
• Study Start: 2013-08
• Study First Submitted: 2013-08-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-08-05
• Study First Posted: 2013-08-06
• Primary Completion: 2015-01
• Study Completion: 2015-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-07-27
• Last Update Posted: 2015-07-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients with Neck Pain; ages 18 - 60

Exclusion Criteria

• red flags: leg weakness, night pain, history of cancer, upper motor neuron signs, infection, tumors, osteoporosis, fracture (Boissonnault, 2011) (Cleland, 2004) history of whiplash within 6 weeks, cervical stenosis, CNS involvement, signs consistent with nerve root compression, previous surgery, pending legal action

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Matched Group	thoracic spine manipulation	Receives thoracic spine manipulation in the direction of motion limitation.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neck Disability Index	2 weeks	Objective, valid, reliable measure of function in patients with neck pain. Completed as a survey.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neck Pain	2 weeks	Selection of 0 to 10 level of pain.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Chatham University; 🇺🇸 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States