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PainNCT01469533

Pressure Pain Thresholds and Basal Electromyographic Activities Following Spinal Mechanical Manipulation

A study testing Spinal mechanical manipulation intervention in people with Pain, run by RenJi Hospital at 1 site in China.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate if the application of spinal mechanical manipulation on low back region resulted in changes in pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in asymptomatic subjects and the extent of the hypoalgesia; whether it is local, regional or systemic. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Pain
What is being tested?
Spinal mechanical manipulation intervention
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
30 participants
Where
1 siteChina
Study dates
Jul 2011to Oct 2011
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 60 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • asymptomatic volunteers
  • age from 18 to 60 years

Who cannot join

  • aversion to manual contact
  • symptoms in the low back or lower extremities
  • previous history of spine surgery
  • receiving any manual therapy within the past 1 month before the study
  • any contraindication to manipulation
  • regular use of analgesic or anti-inflammatory drugs

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

China1 site
  • Renji Hospital

    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200127

Other trials in China

About this study

Official title: Changes in Pressure Pain Thresholds and Basal Electromyographic Activities Following Spinal Mechanical Manipulation in Asymptomatic Subjects

The purpose of this study is to investigate if the application of spinal mechanical manipulation on low back region resulted in changes in pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in asymptomatic subjects and the extent of the hypoalgesia; whether it is local, regional or systemic. Simultaneously, the investigators are to further explore the phenomenon of reduced sEMG activity after spinal mechanical manipulation to better understand the immediate effects of mechanical manipulation on low back region.

Read the detailed description

Spinal manipulation (SM) is used by clinicians for the treatment of several chronic pain conditions. The effectiveness of different spinal manipulations targeted at the lumbar spine in patients with low back pain is supported by an increasing number of high-quality randomized clinical trials1and systematic reviews. Although these techniques have shown some effectiveness in clinical practice, most of clinical studies solely investigated the effects of spinal manipulation on overall reports of pain and function and the underlying mechanisms by which manipulation produce clinical effects remain largely unknown.

The neurophysiologic mechanisms by which manipulation inhibits pain, however, are matters of speculation and still under investigation. Proposed hypotheses have suggested that manipulation has the potential to remove the source of mechanical pain or induce stimulus-produced analgesia. Spinal manipulation induces sufficient force to simultaneously activate both superficial and deep somatic mechanoreceptors, proprioceptors, and nociceptors. The effect of this stimulation is a strong afferent segmental barrage of spinal cord sensory neurons, capable of altering the pattern of afferent input to the central nervous system and inhibiting the central transmission of pain. Other suggested mechanisms have been the activation of the endogenous opiate system, the alteration of the chemical mediators or the effects of joint cavitation. An understanding of the mechanism by which manipulations cause a hypoalgesic response is subject to further research and is currently far from complete. A review of the literature found several studies exploring immediate changes in mechanical pain sensitivity provoked by spinal manipulative procedures. Mobilisation/manipulation to the cervical spine has been shown to provide a hypoalgesic effect as measured by pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in patients suffering from mechanical neck pain and lateral epicondylalgia. A hypoalgesic effect has also been demonstrated following mobilization to peripheral joints in the upper and lower limbs. Mobilizations to the lumbar spine have been shown to produce an immediate and significant widespread hypoalgesic effect in asymptomatic subjects However, Perry et al. that found unilateral mobilizations on the lumbar spine respectively had side specific response.

Besides analgesic effect, it has been presented spinal manipulation can reduce the increased resting muscle tone or spasm, which can be monitored by surface electromyography (sEMG). If the presence of a hypertonic muscle is functionally associated with a spinal dysfunction that is correctable by SM, it would consequently follow that the associated higher EMG level would diminish after appropriate SM. In a descriptive study DeVocht JW et al. found that manipulation induces an immediate change, usually a reduction, in resting EMG level in patients with low back pain. Herzog J reported the observation of a single but very dramatic decrease in resting EMG activity in thoracic musculature within 1 second of SM. One possible segmental mechanism could be that the manipulation may induce a reflex muscle relaxation by modifying proprioceptive group 1 and 2 afferents. However, few randomly controlled trials have directly investigated the effect of spinal mechanical manipulation on basal electromyographic activity (BEA) in asymptomatic subjects.

Spinal mechanical manipulation has been widely used in clinical manual therapy. However, because mechanical thrusts usually produce no cavitations, whether mechanical techniques produce the same hypoalgesic effects and muscle relaxation as manual techniques remains untested. To further elucidate the physiologic mechanisms associated with spinal mechanical manipulation, it is essential to investigate its effects in asymptomatic individuals who do not have any active central sensitization. In fact, recent studies have supported the use of asymptomatic subjects in studies related to neurophysiological mechanisms of spinal manipulations. Further research is therefore required to clarify if there is a hypoalgesic effect or muscle relaxation in response to spinal mechanical manipulation in the lumbar region in asymptomatic subjects.

Conditions
Pain
Being tested
Spinal mechanical manipulation intervention, Sham manipulation intervention
Keywords
Spine, Manipulation, Pain Threshold, Electromyography.
Medical subject headings
Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Spinal mechanical manipulation interventionOther

    Also called Activator methods maximal setting

    Subjects in experimental group are assessed through use of the Activator Methods (AM) assessment protocol. Spinal adjustment of the indicated pelvis, sacrum and lumbar spine is performed through the use of spinal mechanical manipulation. In this study leg length analysis only uses Position #1 and Position #2. Mechanical manipulation is delivered with the Activator Ⅳ Adjusting Instrument (AAI Ⅳ; Activator Methods International, Ltd, Phoenix, AZ) set in the maximal force setting 4, as it is used in routine clinical practice. The Activator Ⅳ delivers a very short duration (<5 ms) force-time impulse with a peak force magnitude of approximately 176N.

  • Sham manipulation interventionOther

    Also called Activator methods zero setting

    Subjects in the control group receive a protocol identical to that described above, with the following exception: a sham mechanical thrust is delivered during the AM protocol. The sham procedure is accomplished by setting the expansion control knob on the Activator Ⅱ to the zero (off) position. The expansion control is used to adjust the spring compression and thus the amount of excursion of the instruments' stylus. In the zero position, no excursion of the stylus occurs, although the same clicking sound that the instrument produces during normal use is heard after manual activation of the mechanical trigger.

Study groups in NCT01469533
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
experimental groupExperimentalThe experimental group receives the real spinal mechanical manipulation.
Receives: Other: Spinal mechanical manipulation intervention
control groupSham comparatorThe control group receives the sham-manipulation procedure.
Receives: Other: Sham manipulation intervention

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Pressure pain threshold assessment

    A mechanical pressure algometer (Wagner, Greenwich, CT) is used to measure PPT levels. Participants report to stop the pressure stimulation immediately when the sensation turnes from pressure to pain. The L5-S1 zygapophyseal is chosen as a landmark local to the manipulation. The L5 dermatome is chosen to measure the extent of any hypoalgesic response. The first dorsal interossei in the hand is selected to evaluate if there was a systemic response to the manipulation.

    Measured: within 10 minutes immediately after manipulation

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Basal electromyographic activity

    Basal electromyographic activity (BEA) of paraspinal muscles is measured using a BioGraph@ surface electromyography with Infiniti software Systems version 1.51B (Thought Technology, Montreal, Quebec). Electrodes are 2.25-in (5.72cm) triodes, disposable, and adhesive with Ag/AgCl snaps. The electrodes are placed 30mm from the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra (L4) and 10mm from the spinous process of the fifth cervical vertebra (C5). The signal is selected for 10 seconds.

    Measured: within 10 minutes immediately after manipulation

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Nov 2011 (estimated)
  2. Study startJul 2011
  3. Primary completionOct 2011
  4. Study completionOct 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
30 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01469533
Sponsor's protocol ID
RenJiH-2011020
Status last verified
Nov 2011
First submitted
3 Nov 2011
Last updated
10 Nov 2011
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Giles LG, Muller R. Chronic spinal pain: a randomized clinical trial comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Jul 15;28(14):1490-502; discussion 1502-3. doi: 10.1097/00007632-200307150-00003.

    PubMed 12865832
  • Lawrence DJ, Meeker W, Branson R, Bronfort G, Cates JR, Haas M, Haneline M, Micozzi M, Updyke W, Mootz R, Triano JJ, Hawk C. Chiropractic management of low back pain and low back-related leg complaints: a literature synthesis. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008 Nov-Dec;31(9):659-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.10.007.

    PubMed 19028250
  • Boal RW, Gillette RG. Central neuronal plasticity, low back pain and spinal manipulative therapy. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2004 Jun;27(5):314-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2004.04.005.

    PubMed 15195039
  • Cramer G, Budgell B, Henderson C, Khalsa P, Pickar J. Basic science research related to chiropractic spinal adjusting: the state of the art and recommendations revisited. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2006 Nov-Dec;29(9):726-61. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2006.09.003.

    PubMed 17142166
  • Vernon H. Qualitative review of studies of manipulation-induced hypoalgesia. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000 Feb;23(2):134-8. doi: 10.1016/s0161-4754(00)90084-8.

    PubMed 10714544
  • de Camargo VM, Alburquerque-Sendin F, Berzin F, Stefanelli VC, de Souza DP, Fernandez-de-las-Penas C. Immediate effects on electromyographic activity and pressure pain thresholds after a cervical manipulation in mechanical neck pain: a randomized controlled trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011 May;34(4):211-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.02.002. Epub 2011 Mar 21.

    PubMed 21621722
  • Fernandez-Carnero J, Fernandez-de-las-Penas C, Cleland JA. Immediate hypoalgesic and motor effects after a single cervical spine manipulation in subjects with lateral epicondylalgia. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008 Nov-Dec;31(9):675-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.10.005.

    PubMed 19028251
  • DeVocht JW, Pickar JG, Wilder DG. Spinal manipulation alters electromyographic activity of paraspinal muscles: a descriptive study. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2005 Sep;28(7):465-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2005.07.002.

    PubMed 16182019
  • Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Alonso-Blanco C, Cleland JA, Rodriguez-Blanco C, Alburquerque-Sendin F. Changes in pressure pain thresholds over C5-C6 zygapophyseal joint after a cervicothoracic junction manipulation in healthy subjects. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008 Jun;31(5):332-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.04.006.

    PubMed 18558274

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Spinal mechanical manipulation intervention in people with Pain, run by RenJi Hospital at 1 site in China.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Nov 2011. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Pressure pain threshold assessment (time frame: within 10 minutes immediately after manipulation). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01469533, which also lists 9 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Nov 2011.

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