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The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of two spinal manipulations in adults between the ages of 18-65 based on the results of a non-invasive clinical test. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does matched or unmatched region of manipulation based on the CTDT result in greater reduction of pain levels and improvement in range of motion in adults with neck pain compared to unmatched manipulations? Participants will be asked to:
Researchers will compare the effects of manipulation matched to CTDT test result to individuals in the unmatched CTDT manipulation group to see if the CTDT may indicate which region will provide a greater treatment effect for individuals with neck pain.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| matched manipulation | Active Comparator | For the matched manipulation group, participants with the source of neck pain at the cervical spine determined by the CTDT will receive a cervical manipulation, and participants with the source of neck pain at the thoracic spine determined by the CTDT will receive a thoracic manipulation. The manipulation will be given to the participant's most provocative spinal level as determined by the examiner and side determined by the CTDT. The investigator will be limited to 2 manipulation attempts even if cavitation was not achieved. |
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| unmatched manipulation | Active Comparator | For the unmatched manipulation group, participants with the source of neck pain at the cervical spine determined by the CTDT will receive a thoracic manipulation, and participants with the source of neck pain at the thoracic spine found during the CTDT will receive a cervical manipulation. The manipulation will be given to the most hypomobile spinal level determined by the physical therapist and to the most provocative side found during the CTDT. The investigator will be limited to 2 manipulation attempts even if cavitation was not achieved. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| spinal manipulation | Other | High velocity, low amplitude (HVLA) manipulation of the cervical or thoracic spine |
|
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| pain with motion | pain occurring with the participants most provocative cervical motion as measured on a 100mm visual analog scale (VAS) | immediate post intervention, 7-10 days |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| pain at rest | pain occurring with participant at rest | immediate post intervention, 7-10 days |
| range of motion | cervical range of motion as measured with the cervical range of motion device (CROM) |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Swanson, PT, DSc | University of Hartford | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hartford | West Hartford | Connecticut | 06117 | United States |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40618509 | Derived | Swanson BT, Cimen M, DiMercurio CD, Dunne AG, Dunne MS, Hubbard C, Kirck BC, Nadeau RM, Artzer P. The EMU manipulation study: A randomized trial investigating the efficacy of matched or unmatched cervical/thoracic manipulations on neck pain. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2025 Oct;79:103382. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2025.103382. Epub 2025 Jul 2. |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D019547 | Neck Pain |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D010146 | Pain |
| D009461 | Neurologic Manifestations |
| D012816 | Signs and Symptoms |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D020393 | Manipulation, Spinal |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D026201 | Musculoskeletal Manipulations |
| D026741 | Physical Therapy Modalities |
| D013812 | Therapeutics |
| D012046 | Rehabilitation |
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Blinded research assistants will perform all baseline and follow-up measures. Investigator providing manipulation is blinded to group allocation (matched/unmatched) Participants will not be told if the CTDT indicates that they would benefit from cervical or thoracic manipulation, and the investigator performing the CTDT will only indicate which region is to be manipulated. All investigators are blinded to the work of the others and submit their results to an additional research assistant who will enter the data in a spreadsheet not accessible to the remainder of the research team until the conclusion of the study.
| immediate post intervention, 7-10 days |
| neck disability index | questionnaire assessing disability due to neck pain | 7-10 days post intervention |