Comparison of force development strategies of spinal manipulation used for thoracic pain

• Published in: Manual therapy 2012-06, Vol.17 (3), p.241-245
• Main Authors: Cambridge, Edward D.J, Triano, John J, Ross, J. Kim, Abbott, Melanie S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomechanical Phenomena; Chest Pain - therapy; Humans; Kinetic; Male; Manipulation; Manipulation, Spinal - methods; Musculoskeletal Pain - therapy; Pain Measurement - methods; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Pressure; Reference Values; Risk Assessment; Sampling Studies; Spine; Stress, Mechanical; Thoracic; Thoracic Vertebrae - physiopathology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1356-689X; 1532-2769
• DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2012.02.003

Abstract Introduction To date, there is a paucity of comparative analysis of manual therapeutic procedures for the treatment of pain in the same spinal region. This paper examines the cross correlation of force-time histories across three distinct strategies of force production for the same thoracic spine procedure. Secondary analysis includes examination of the characteristics that account for potential differences. Methods A homogeneous sample of 21 male volunteers and three clinicians were selected as a convenience sample. The force-time histories were recorded using a table mounted force plate (AMTI model number OR6-7-2000, London, ON), and cross-correlation analysis was applied by strategy type, for analysis between group data. Secondary parameters included: peak force, preload force, slope of the thrust, instantaneous loading rate and thrust duration, of the total force magnitude. Results Primary results indicate strong correlations among all strategies but with notably different cross-correlation coefficients (0.894 ≤  r  ≤ 0.946) based on individual comparisons. Classical descriptive components of the force-time curves (e.g. preload, peak force, slope) for each strategy group were examined. Significant differences in the raw data were noted on slope and loading rate (adjusted p