Immediate Changes in Neck Pain Intensity and Widespread Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Patients With Bilateral Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Thoracic Thrust Manipulation vs Non-Thrust Mobilization

This report has been verified by one or more authors of the original publication.

Fifty two patients suffering from bilateral chronic mechanical neck pain were randomized to receive either spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust mobilization to determine the efficacy of the former. Patients were monitored over 10 minutes after intervention and were assessed based on pressure pain sensitivity and intensity. The results of this study demonstrated similar improvements in pain pressure threshold (PPT) in bot the thrust manipulation and non-thrust mobilization groups. Within-group and between-group effect sizes were small. Thrust patients experienced a greater decrease in neck pain; within-group effect sizes were large for both groups, and between-group effect sizes were large in favor of thrust.