A comparative study between cervicothoracic manipulation techniques and upper cervical spine manipulation in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain.

• Register: ANZCTR
• Last refreshed on: 11 June 2018
• Main ID: ACTRN12618000490279
• Date of registration: 04/04/2018
• Prospective Registration: No
• Primary sponsor: Raúl Romero del Rey
• Public title: A comparative study between cervicothoracic manipulation techniques and upper cervical spine manipulation in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain.
• Scientific title: A comparative study between cervicothoracic manipulation techniques and upper cervical spine manipulation and their effectiveness in the cervical range of motion, neck pain and disability in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain.
• Date of first enrolment: 14/11/2016
• Target sample size: 90
• Recruitment status: Completed
• URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12618000490279.aspx
• Study type: Interventional
• Study design: Randomised controlled trial

Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) studied

Cervical disability

Limitation of the cervical range of motion

Neck pain

Intervention(s)

The study will be carried out in single rehabilitation center.

The intervention was performed by a physiotherapist with more than 5 years of experience in manual therapy.

Intervention: Upper cervical spine manipulation; A single HVLA thrust manipulation directed to the upper cervical spine (C1-C2) with the patient supine was performed. For this technique, the patient’s left posterior arch of the atlas was contacted with the lateral aspect of the proximal phalanx of the therapist’s left second finger using a “cradle hold.” To localize the forces to the left C1-C2 articulation, secondary levers of extension, posterior-anterior shift, ipsilateral side-bend, and contralateral side-shift were used. While maintaining the secondary levers, the therapist performed a single HVLA thrust manipulation to the left atlanto-axial joint, using the combined thrusting primary levers of right rotation in an arc toward the underside eye and translation toward the table. This was repeated using the same procedure but directed to the right C1-C2 articulation.

Data Collection Protocol: The participants were evaluated and intervened in three different sessions (1st session: after signing the informed consent, 2nd session: 7 days after the start, 3rd session: 15 days after the start). The intervention was carried out five minutes after the evaluation and the re-evaluation process began five minutes after the intervention. The order carried out during the data collection protocol was always the same in each of the sessions held both before and after the intervention, with the exception of the disability, which was collected only in the first and the last session. In each session the range of motion was measured first and then the neck pain, before and after the intervention.
Prior to the intervention, all participants will sign the informed consent.