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Effects of Thoracic Spine Manipulation With and Without Costovertebral Joint Manipulation in Patients Mid-back Pain

Effects of Thoracic Spine Manipulation With and Without Costovertebral Joint Manipulation in Patients With Non-specific Mid-back Pain

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07063992
Enrollment
34
Registered
2025-07-14
Start date
2025-07-31
Completion date
2025-10-31
Last updated
2025-07-14

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

Conditions

Back Pain

Keywords

Craniovertebral Angle, Mid-Back Pain, muscle strength

Brief summary

Mid-back pain (mbp) is defined as pain occurring within the limits of the third thoracic (T3) and ninth thoracic (T9) vertebrae, caused by the dysfunction of the musculoskeletal structures in the thoracic spine. It can present as pain and/or burning between the shoulder blades with reduced thoracic spine mobility and increased muscle tension. Congenital disorders such as scoliosis and Scheuermann's disease, or acquired disorders such as thoracic facet and costovertebral joint dysfunction may cause mid back pain.

Detailed description

Participants aged 18-45 years with non-specific mid-back pain will be randomly assigned to receive either thoracic spine manipulation alone or in combination with costovertebral joint manipulation. Primary outcomes will include pain intensity measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), while secondary outcomes will involve thoracic spine range of motion measured by Bubble Inclinometer, and functional disability assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Statistical analysis will be performed using the statistical software IBM SPSS Statistics SPSS 25.0 for calculations. This study aims to provide evidence-based insights into the relative benefits of these manual therapy techniques, potentially informing clinical practice and enhancing treatment outcomes for patients with non-specific mid-back pain.

Interventions

OTHERthoracic facet manipulations

Group A will receive thoracic facet manipulations of the restricted segments between T3 to T9, in the prone position and cephalic direction. The duration of the intervention will be followed by 4 weeks 3 sessions each week and pre- and post-intervention observations will be recorded. Bilateral hypothenar Cross bilateral hypothenar manipulationThese flexibility exercises will be targeted for * Rhomboid and middle trapezius stretching (2-3 times daily; 3 sets for 30 seconds)) * Pectoralis muscle stretch in a corner (2-3 times daily; 3 sets for 30 seconds) * Prone on the elbow with upper thoracic extension exercise (2-3 times daily; 3 sets for 30 seconds) . The postural exercises will be the following * Postural strengthening/ stabilization with back to a wall. The participant will press their arms into the wall while retracting scapulae. * Trunk rotation stretching in the sitting position

OTHERthoracic facet and costovertebral manipulations

Group B will receive thoracic facet and costovertebral manipulations of the restricted segments between T3 to T9 and ribs 3 to 9 (costovertebral joints), in the prone position. The duration of the intervention will be followed by 4 weeks 3 sessions each week and pre and post-intervention observations will be recorded. Hypothenar Costal Manipulative technique Ilial Hypothenar costal manipulation between T3-T9

Sponsors

Riphah International University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Participants will be between 18 - 45 years of age * For this study, mid-back pain included all the following signs and symptoms: * Sharp, shooting, or aching mid-back pain * Mid back pain experienced during deep inspiration, sneezing, and/or coughing

Exclusion criteria

* Individuals who did not sign or understand the letter of informed consent * Individuals with contraindications to manipulation in the thoracic spine (15) * Weakened bone due to: Osteoporosis, Infection and Neoplasm

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)upto 4 weeksThe Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is perhaps the most frequently applied scale used to quantify pain intensity in the clinical setting. It is an 11-point numeric scale, ranging from 0 indicating no pain to 10 indicating worst pain imaginable
Oswestry Disability Indexupto 4 weeksThe Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is an index derived from the Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire used by clinicians and researchers to quantify disability for low back pain and quality of life. Oswestry Disability Index. Purpose. used to qualify low back pain.
Bubble Inclinometerupto 4 weeksA bubble inclinometer is a simple, handheld device used to measure the angle of inclination or tilt of a surface. In the context of thoracic spine assessments, it is particularly useful for quantifying the range of motion and curvature of the spine.

Countries

Pakistan

Contacts

Primary ContactSamrood Akram, PhD Scholar
samrood.akram@riphah.edu.pk.com03324806143
Backup ContactAlishah Malik, MSPT
alishahmalik089@gmail.com03064500637

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026