Clinical Effects of Upper Cervical Translatoric Mobilization in Patients With Headache

University of Zaragoza

Status: Completed

Conditions: Headache

Treatments: Other: UC-TSM

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02422862

MMU.01.001

Details and patient eligibility

About

Frequently, headache is associated with disorders of the cervical spine, specially on the upper cervical spine. Therefore, restoration of the upper cervical mobility is considered fundamental for the treatment of headache.

Manual therapy interventions seek to restore upper cervical mobility through a wide range of therapeutic procedures, including mobilization or manipulation techniques. Previous systematic reviews reported preliminary evidence for the application of upper cervical manual therapy techniques for the management of headache.

The objective of this study is to study the effects of upper cervical translatoric spinal mobilization (UC-TSM) on headache intensity, cervical mobility and pressure pain threshold in subjects with headache. For this purpose, the investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial. Volunteers with headache will participate in the study and will be randomly divided into control or treatment group. Treatment group will receive UC-TSM and the control group will receive no treatment.

Headache intensity, cervical mobility, temporomandibular mobility and pressure pain thresholds (PPT) will be measured before and immediately after each treatment session (3 treatment sessions in one week period) and after one month follow-up. At this moment, global perceived effect will be assessed.

Enrollment: 162 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Present a history of headache.

Exclusion criteria

• Receive cervical treatment in the previous month.
• Present red flags for headache.
• Present any contraindications to manual therapy.
• Current involvement in compensations.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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162 participants in 2 patient groups

UC-TSM

Experimental group

Description:

Upper cervical translatoric spinal mobilization (UC-TSM). UC-TSM is a physical therapy technique used to improve range of movement, consisting on a manual stretching of the cervical spine of the patient during 30 minutes.

Treatment:

Other: UC-TSM

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group receive no treatment intervention during 30 minutes (a similar time as the UC-TSM group).