Description of a Right C7/T1 manipulation. The subject will lie prone. The therapist will stand on the L side of the subject facing in a cephalic direction (towards the patient's head). The therapist's right hand makes contact with the thumb on the right side of the spinous process of the first thoracic vertebra. The therapist left hand supports the head making contact on the temporal bone. The hand/neck is gently laterally flexed to the right, until slight tension is palpated in the tissues. A high-velocity low-amplitude thrust will be applied towards the subjects left side. If cavitation does not occur (an audible pop) the subject will be repositioned and the manipulation attempted a second time. A maximum of 2 attempts will be performed for each side of the neck.

The subjects will be in a supine position. A researcher will passively place the subject's head into flexion, side-bending away and rotation towards the side to be stretched until the muscle barrier is met. The researcher will depress the subject's shoulder with 100 Newtons of force measured with a Micro FET pressure dynamometer (Hoggan Health Industries, Salt Lake City, UT).) Once this pressure amount is achieved the stretch will be held for 30 seconds. This will be repeated two times on each side.

The subject will be asked to provide continuous feedback about the stretch felt and the degree of discomfort (if any) felt during the 30 second stretches.

Subjects assigned to the control group will receive no intervention. They will stay behind the curtained research area for approximately 3 minutes in a seated position.

Sustained stretch of upper trapezius muscle

Cervical Range of Motion in each cardinal plane (sagittal, coronal and transverse) will be measured in angular degrees using a CROM device

Pain Pressure Threshold measured using a standard handheld algometer with 1 cm round tip