A Study of the Effects of Mid-Thoracic Spinal Manipulation and Spinal Mobilization on Heart Rate Variability

Status unconfirmed · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Physiology of Manipulation / Mobilization in Healthy Adults

In brief

Spinal mobilization and spinal manipulation are common techniques utilized in the field of physical therapy. Despite their common utility, little is known about the physiological mechanisms underlying the changes experienced following the interventions. Recent research suggests that neurological mechanisms may be involved in the post interventional changes, but research supporting this view is still evolving. Therefore, this study will explore whether there is a neurophysiological difference between spinal manipulation and spinal mobilization techniques. The neurophysiological difference will be measured by monitoring heart rate variability, a cardiovagal indicator of autonomic nervous system activity. The primary hypotheses of this study are three-fold, first that spinal manipulation will result in a change in heart rate variability that is different then sham intervention. Second, spinal mobilization will result in a change in heart rate variability that is different then sham intervention. Finally, the investigators hypothesize that spinal mobilization and spinal manipulation will produce different changes in heart rate variability.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT02380599
Run by
Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles, CA
People needed
45
Starts
2015-01-01
Expected to finish
2016-12-01
Last updated by the study team
2015-04-15

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 55. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

You may not qualify if…

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.