The Effects of Thoracic Manipulation on Peripheral Muscle Oxygenation

NCT ID: NCT06704373

Last Updated: 2025-07-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 48 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-03-10
• Study Completion Date: 2025-05-30

Brief Summary

Office workers spend 70-85% of their time sitting, which leads to postural disorders and musculoskeletal system diseases. Back pain is the most common health problem among office workers who need to sit. Studies have shown that spinal manipulation can help reduce back pain by decreasing the stiffness of spine segments associated with joint dysfunction. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effects of thoracic spinal manipulation on peripheral oxygenation, pain, and disability of the back muscles in office workers with back pain, at acute, 10-day, and 4-week follow-up periods. The secondary aim is to evaluate whether the parameters have a significant relationship.

The study will include volunteers aged 20-50 who are active office workers with no orthopedic, neurological, or psychological disorders, who have experienced back pain in the last 3 months, and who have a numerical pain scale score of at least 30 mm out of 100 mm. Participants will be randomized into the thoracic spinal manipulation and the control groups. Both groups will receive postural exercises. The thoracic spinal manipulation group will receive a single session of spinal manipulation, while the control group will only receive postural exercises. The study is expected to find significant improvement in peripheral muscle oxygenation, back pain, and disability scores following thoracic spinal manipulation. This study aims to contribute to the literature by focusing on how peripheral muscle oxygenation is affected by thoracic spinal manipulation.

Detailed Description

Office workers spend 70-85% of their time sitting at their workplaces, with an average working time of 8 hours. This prolonged inactivity can lead to serious health issues such as musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive movements, static postures, and improper body positions. Due to their limited mobility, office workers are at risk of experiencing problems with their body postures. Studies have shown that back pain is a common issue among office workers. However, thoracic spine pain between the T1-T12 vertebrae is less studied and less debilitating than cervical and lumbar pain. The most common causes of back pain are muscle tension, trauma, acute injury, strain, or poor posture. The posture, mobility, and stability of the thoracic spine are important factors in pain syndromes and degenerative changes. The success of treatment relies on understanding the anatomy and biomechanics of the spine. Research on mechanoreceptor effects is significant for manual therapy, including spinal manipulation and mobilization techniques. These therapies target intervertebral joints and affect adjacent joints and surrounding soft tissues. Chiropractic spinal manipulation, performed by professionals at the intersection of traditional and alternative medicine, has been found effective in treating back pain and reducing pain. Thoracic spinal manipulation may help relax spinal segments associated with secondary muscle spasms due to joint dysfunction. Studies have shown significant improvements in range of motion and pain in the acute period following thoracic manipulation. Spinal manipulation combined with exercise can enhance an individual's quality of life and improve pain conditions.

NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) has been used to measure the oxygen status of muscle tissue, demonstrating the balance between muscle oxygen delivery and tissue V̇O2. The fascial system encompassing the large muscle groups in the back can lead to muscle overload, reducing blood flow and creating myofascial adhesions. A recent study presented initial evidence that myofascial reorganization techniques could improve trapezius muscle tissue oxygenation and peripheral blood flow in patients with neck pain.

To our knowledge, there are no studies evaluating the effect of spinal manipulation on muscle oxygenation in individuals with back pain. Our research aims to contribute to the literature by examining the changes in oxygenation, pain, and disability in the upper trapezius and interscapular region and lumbar spine muscles following a single session of thoracic spinal manipulation.

Conditions

Back Pain; Spine Stiffness; Sedentary Behavior; Disability Physical

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Manipulation group

Thoracic spinal manipulation will be performed between the T1-T12 vertebral levels, based on the segment with movement limitations. The manipulation will be applied to the area of back pain using a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust with a short-lever technique.

Also, the same postural exercises that were given to the control group will be given.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

thoracal manipulation

Intervention Type: OTHER

Thoracal manipulation will be applied only one session.

Exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

Both groups will perform the same postural exercises, which will be applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The intervention group will receive thoracic manipulation for one session.

Control Group

The postural exercises program will be given.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

Both groups will perform the same postural exercises, which will be applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The intervention group will receive thoracic manipulation for one session.

Interventions

thoracal manipulation

Thoracal manipulation will be applied only one session.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Exercise

Both groups will perform the same postural exercises, which will be applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The intervention group will receive thoracic manipulation for one session.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Postural Exercise

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Active desk-based office worker for the past 3 months
• Age between 20 and 50 years
• Back pain experience in the last 3 months
• Willing to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of osteoporosis
• Presence of a newly formed fracture
• Recent trauma
• Cancer
• Osteomyelitis
• Hypermobility
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Presence of an aneurysm
• Presence of vascular occlusion
• Malignancies

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Bahçeşehir University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Pelin Pişirici

Assistant Professor, PT, PhD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Alev Atasever, PT

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Bahcesehir University, Graduate Education Institute,Chiropractic Master of Science Program

Pelin Pişirici, PT, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Bahcesehir University, Faculty of Health Sciences

Berkay Eren Pejlivanoğlu, PT, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Bahcesehir University, Health Sciences Faculty, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Locations

Bahcesehir University

Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

Alev-Man24

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id