Immediate effects of spinal manipulation on shoulder motion range and pain in individuals with shoulder pain: A randomized trial

• Main Author: Silva A.C.D.*
• Publication Date: 2019
• Other Authors: Marques C.M.D.G.*, Marques J.L.B., Santos, Gilmar Moraes
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositório Institucional da Udesc
• dARK ID: ark:/33523/00130000063s9
• Download full: https://repositorio.udesc.br/handle/UDESC/5544

© 2019Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of thoracic spinal manipulation (SM) on shoulder pain and ranges of motion in individuals with shoulder pain. Methods: The sample was composed of 60 individuals, randomly allocated into the manipulation group (n = 30), who received the SM, and the placebo group (n = 30) who received a placebo manipulation. Pain evaluation was performed using the visual analog scale, and evaluation of shoulder flexion and abduction ranges of motion was assessed using a goniometer pre- and post-intervention. The intervention was performed by either upper thoracic SM or a placebo manipulation. Results: The manipulation group demonstrated increased flexion and abduction of the painful shoulder (P < .01) and increased abduction of the nonpainful shoulder (P = .03), but only the abduction of the painful shoulder reached the minimal detectable change. The placebo group showed a post-intervention increase in the flexion (P = .03) and abduction (P < .01) movement of the painful shoulder. Both groups presented a statistically significant reduction in post-intervention pain (P < .01), but not clinically significant. Conclusion: Although the SM demonstrated a statistically significant difference for shoulder pain, this was not over the clinically meaningful change. Only the abduction of the painful shoulder reached the minimal detectable change.