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Manual Therapy and Augmented Exercise for Neck Pain

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Neck Pain
Interventions
Other: Augmented Exercise and Manual Therapy
Other: General Exercise and Manual Therapy
Registration Number
NCT01750736
Lead Sponsor
Des Moines University
Brief Summary

Manual therapy and exercise have shown to be beneficial for people with neck pain, however it is not clear how outcomes following a general exercise program compare to specific exercises intended to augment a specific manual/hands-on intervention. This study will compare outcomes following manual therapy and a specific exercise program with manual therapy and a general exercise program.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to determine if specific neck exercises intended to augment specific manual therapy treatments result in better outcomes than standard neck exercises in people with neck pain. Clinical tests and measurements as well as patient questionnaires will be completed and compared between groups.

A secondary purpose is to determine if self report of activity is correlated with functional improvements. We hypothesize that a specifically applied home exercise that augments the effects of the manual therapy intervention will lead to improvements in outcomes in patients with neck pain. We hypothesize that higher reports of self activity will be correlated with improvements in outcomes.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
72
Inclusion Criteria
  • Subjects with complaint of neck pain, neck motion limitations, pain at end-range neck ROM, limited cervical/cervical and thoracic joint mobility, neck pain with manual segmental examination
Exclusion Criteria
  • The presence of any red flags (i.e. tumor, metabolic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, prolonged history of steroid use, signs and symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency, etc.), use of blood thinners, whiplash injury in the past 6 weeks, evidence of central nervous system involvement (such as hyperreflexia, sensory disturbances in the hands, unsteadiness during walking, etc.), history of spinal surgery, workers compensation or pending legal action regarding their neck pain, insufficient English language skills to complete questionnaires, unable to comply with schedule

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Augmented Exercise and Manual TherapyAugmented Exercise and Manual TherapySubjects will receive manual therapy according to clinical guidelines followed by instruction in a specific exercise to augment the specific manual treatment provided.
General Exercise and Manual TherapyGeneral Exercise and Manual TherapySubjects will receive manual therapy according to clinical guidelines followed by instruction in a general neck range of motion exercise.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Neck Disability Index (NDI)baseline; 36-48 hours; 96 hours

A functional questionnaire completed by the subject

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Self Reported Activity Scale (SAA)Baseline; 36-48 hours; 96 hours
Change in Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)baseline; 36-48 hours; 96 hours
Change in Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)Baseline; Immediate post intervention; 36-48 hours; 96 hours
Change in Vibratory MeasureBaseline; Immediate post intervention; 36-48 hours; 96 hours

A specialized tool is used to measure sensory threshold; it is a hand-held sensor with a small vibrating tip held against the skin.

This device measures how the nerves react to vibration. The procedure is non-invasive. Little or no discomfort should be felt during the test.

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Des Moines University

🇺🇸

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Walsh University

🇺🇸

North Canton, Ohio, United States

Youngstown State University

🇺🇸

Youngstown, Ohio, United States

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