Immediate Effects of Upper Thoracic Manipulation on Skin Surface Temperature of T3 Vertebral Region and Biceps Brachii Muscle

Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba

Status: Completed

Conditions: Myofascial Dysfunction

Treatments: Other: Manipulation sham; Other: Spine manipulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01872676

U1111-1144-0316

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the present study was to assess the immediate effects of upper thoracic manipulation on skin surface temperature in the region of the T3 vertebra and biceps brachii muscle in healthy women. It is a randomized controlled blind study. Twenty-six healthy women of the university community were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 13) and a placebo group (n = 13). A single session of the upper thoracic spine manipulation (segment T3)was performed. Infrared thermography was used to determine changes in skin surface temperature in the region of T3 and the biceps brachii muscle, which would indirectly reflect sympathetic activity. Images were taken prior to manipulation, immediately after and both five and 10 minutes after manipulation. Repeated measures ANOVA with the post hoc Bonferroni test and the independent samples t-test were used for the intragroup and intergroup comparisons, respectively, with the level of significance set to 5%.

Enrollment: 26 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy women
• 18 and 30 years of age

Exclusion criteria

• use of vasoactive medication
• body mass index greater than 25 kg/m2
• having undergone spinal manipulation in previous month
• and any red flag sign, such as malignant tumor, inflammatory or infectious disease that contraindicated manual therapy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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26 participants in 2 patient groups

Manipulation

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group received upper thoracic manipulation of the T3 vertebra. The volunteer was instructed to lie in the supine position, interlace her fingers and position her hands in the posterior region of the base of the neck. The therapist than positioned a stabilizing hand in a pistol grip immediately caudal to the T3 vertebra, pushing the volunteer's arms downward to generate flexion of the upper thoracic spine.

Treatment:

Other: Spine manipulation

Sham

Sham Comparator group

Description:

The placebo group was placed precisely as the experimental group, with the exception of the positioning of the therapist's hand, which remained with the palm open and not in a pistol grip. Once positioned, the volunteers were instructed to breathe deeply. The maneuver was terminated after one cycle of deep breathing.

Treatment:

Other: Manipulation sham