Changes in pain perception, cervical range of movement and pressure pain thresholds following dorsal manipulation in patients with acute grade II whiplash: a randomized controlled trial

Short term changes in self-reported pain measured by VAS, cervical active range of motion in all planes and pressure pain threshold at standard locally and remotely points after a posteroanterior, end-range dorsal manipulation at the more painful spinous process level (up to T7) localized by manual palpation compared with placebo in acute grade II whiplash patients (up to 3 weeks after the accident) classified following the criteria of the clinical classification of whiplash associated disorders (WAD) defined by the Quebec Task Force in 1995

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12614000607673

Enrollment

Registered

2014-06-06

Start date

2014-07-07

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate effect of manipulation at the more painful spinous process level (up to T7) localized by manual palpation in self-reported pain measured by VAS, cervical active range of motion in all planes and pressure pain threshold at standarized locally and remotely points in patients with acute grade II whiplash. The main hypothesis of the study is that direct dorsal thrust technique (posteroanterior, end-range manipulation) in patients with acute grade II whiplash will cause a change in the perceived cervical pain, in the cervical active range of motion and in the mechanosensivity of local and remotely muscular, cutaneous and articular points.

Interventions

Intervention Group: Direct thrust technique applied at more painful/tenderness dorsal vertebral level (up to D7) localized by manual palpation. The approximate duration of the intervention is 3 minutes. The intervention is performed twice maximum (the manipulation will be repeated if the initial manipulation not result in a popping sound, and will be performed inmediately after the first, if required) and administered by a manual therapist specialist. No active shock waves are administered to

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 55 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

(a) medical diagnosis of Whiplash G II (according to the Quebec Task Force); (b) age (18-55 years); (c) acute stage (<3 weeks after the motor vehicle accident)

Exclusion criteria

(a) have experienced a concussion during the accident ; (b) loss of consciousness due to accident; (c) loss of postural balance at the time of conducting the study; (d) cervical pain in the 3 months prior to the accident ; (e) have suffered soft tissue therapy in the 3 months prior to the study (i.e. treatment for neck pain ); (f) received shock wave therapy for any cause prior to this study; (g) history of previous whiplash; (h) history of psychological conditions (i.e.depression disorder, post -traumatic stress , ...); (i) history of neurological and / or rheumatologic and / or circulatory disorders (hypertension , heart disease or meningitis) ; (j) be affected by other physical disease that may affect the study results (i.e. fibromyalgia , ...); (k) malformations , injury or previous surgery in the cervical spine; (l) any contraindications to the spinal manipulation (i.e. tumor disease , osteitis, congenital diseases ... ); (m) be pregnant; (n) not sign the inform consent for participation in the study; (o) take any analgesic or anti-inflammatory drug and / or muscle relaxant for 48 hours prior to the study

Outcome results