Association Between Conditioned Pain Modulation and the 4-week Response to Spinal Mobilization in Adults With Chronic Neck Pain

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Neck Pain Musculoskeletal, Chronic

In brief

The goal of this observational study is to learn if there is a relationship between conditioned pain modulation or CPM (a test of your brain's ability to inhibit pain) and longitudinal clinical outcomes following one spinal/joint mobilization (commonly used to treat neck pain) session in individuals with chronic mild neck pain between the age of 18-55 years old. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is baseline CPM significantly associated with baseline outcomes: (a) pain (NPRS), (b) perceived disability (NDI), and (c) perceived recovery (GPR)? * Is baseline CPM associated with longitudinal trend in outcomes: pain (NPRS), perceived disability (NDI), and perceived recovery (GPR)? * Is the change in CPM post-joint mobilization (post-JM) associated with longitudinal trend in outcomes: pain (NPRS), perceived disability (NDI), and perceived recovery (GPR)? Participants will receive CPM protocol before and after the joint mobilization. The CPM protocol includes a handheld pressure meter applied to 3 main sites (neck, shoulder blade and leg bone) to measure when light touch first becomes a mild experience of pain as well as placing your hand in cold water. They will receive joint/spinal mobilization of the neck (cervical spine), explanation of why it might work and advise to continue their usual activities of daily living and to avoid receiving any physical therapy treatments/interventions (such as exercise or joint mobilization; they may continue taking their medication/s, however) the entire 4-weeks while they are in the study.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07194603

Run by

Azusa Pacific University

People needed

31

Starts

2021-06-21

Expected to finish

2022-08-11

Last updated by the study team

2025-09-26

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 55. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• neck pain classified as Neck Pain and Associated Disorder I (NAD) I with a duration of 3-60 months
• a 3 or higher pain scale rating out of 10 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale
• modified STarTBack tool (modified for neck pain) classified as low risk (< 3 out of 9)
• a Neck Disability Index scored at 10% or higher

You may not qualify if…

• prior spinal surgery, those with serious underlying pathology including neurologic, cardiovascular, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory arthritis, osteoporosis, hemophilia, cancer, contra-indications to cervical spine joint mobilization (or spinal mobilization of the neck) [e.g., a history of fainting spells or loss of consciousness, presently on blood thinners]
• those who received spinal mobilization of the neck (or cervical spine joint mobilization) or physical therapy prescribed exercise in the past 3 months, current smokers, those with chronic widespread pain, those actively pursuing compensation, unable to work or with litigation pending or unable to communicate in English, persons who cannot tolerate 2 minutes of the cold pressor test (12 degrees Centigrade).

Where it is running

• Azusa Pacific University — Azusa, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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