Short-Term Effects of Combined Manual Therapy to the Cervical and Thoracic Spine

NCT ID: NCT01318720

Last Updated: 2015-04-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 64 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2009-11-30
• Study Completion Date: 2012-06-30

Brief Summary

Neck pain continues to be a prevalent condition in our society. Manual therapy (hands on techniques for the treatment of neck pain is an intervention commonly implemented in clinical practice. Recently researchers and clinicians have implemented manual therapy techniques to the thoracic spine (midback) to treat patients with neck pain. To date no studies have examined the short-term combined effects of thoracic spine manual therapy and cervical spine manual therapy in the treatment of patients with mechanical neck pain. The purpose this study is to assess the combined effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation with cervical spine non-thrust manipulation in patients with neck pain.

Conditions

Neck Pain

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Manipulation

The experimental group is receiving thoracic spine thrust manipulation and cervical spine non-thrust manipulation.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Manual Therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

Thrust manipulation is a type of manual therapy that clinicians apply using a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust directed at a joint(s)

Interventions

Manual Therapy

Thrust manipulation is a type of manual therapy that clinicians apply using a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust directed at a joint(s)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Neck pain of less than 3 months
• No symptoms below the shoulder
• Baseline Neck Disability Index score of 10 or greater

Exclusion Criteria

• Red flags noted in the patient's Medical Screening Questionnaire (i.e. tumor, fracture, metabolic disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, prolonged use of steroid, etc)
• History of whiplash injury within the past two months
• Diagnosis of cervical spinal stenosis
• Uni-lateral or bi-lateral upper extremity radicular symptoms
• Evidence of central nervous system involvement
• Two or more positive neurological signs consistent with nerve root involvement: myotomal muscle weakness, dermatomal sensory loss, diminished or absent reflexes
• Prior surgery to the neck or thoracic spine
• Pending legal action regarding their neck pain, or patients with no fault or workers compensation claims
• Insufficient English language skills to complete the questionnaires
• Inability to comply with treatment and follow-up schedule
• Women who may be pregnant

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Masefield and Cavallaro Physical Therapy

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Michael Masaracchio PT, DPT, PhD(c), OCS, SCS

Senior Staff Physical Therapist

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Michael Masaracchio, PT, DPT, PhD(c), OCS, SCS

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Masefield Cavallaro Therapy

Locations

Long Island University

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Masefield Cavallaro Physical Therapy

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

MCPT1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id