Effect of osteopathic visceral manipulation for individuals with functional constipation and chronic nonspecific low back pain: Randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of osteopathic visceral manipulation (OVM) on disability and pain intensity in individuals with functional constipation and chronic nonspecific low back pain. METHODS: This study is a randomized controlled trial with a blinded assessor. Seventy-six volunteers with functional constipation and chronic nonspecific low back pain were randomized to two groups: OVM and sham OVM. The primary clinical outcome was pain intensity measured using a numeric rating scale (NRS) and disability measured using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The secondary outcomes were electromyographic signals measured during the flexion-extension cycle, the finger-to-floor distance during complete flexion of the trunk and the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ). All outcomes were determined after six weeks of treatment as well as three months after randomization. RESULTS: The OVM group reported a reduction in pain intensity after six weeks of treatment and at the three-month evaluation (p < .0002) and the sham group reported a reduction in pain intensity after three-month evaluation (p < .007). For the ODI was also found in the OVM group six weeks after the end of treatment (treatment effect = -6.59, 95% CI: -12.01 to -1.17, p = .01) and at the three-month evaluation (treatment effect = -6.02, 95% CI: -11.55 to -0.49, p = .03). Significant differences were also found for paravertebral muscle activity during the dynamic phases (flexion and extension) six-week evaluations. CONCLUSIONS: The OVM group demonstrated a reduction in pain intensity and improvement in disability after six-weeks and three-month follow-up while the sham group reduction in pain three-month follow-up.

Influence of osteopathic cervical manipulation on blood flow velocity of the cerebral circulation in chronic neck pain: analysis of three groups / Influência da manipulação osteopática cervical na velocidade de fluxo sanguíneo da circulação cerebral em indivíduos com cervicalgia crônica: análise de três grupos

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Spinal manipulation (SM) can reduce or improve the pain and dizziness originated in the neck. However, there is some criticism against SM. The objective of this study was to check if the osteopathic manipulation (OM) with a cervical rhythmic articulatory technique (CRAT) provides oscillations of the blood flow velocity (BFV) in the internal carotid arteries (ICA), vertebral arteries (VA) and basilar artery (BA), and if this technique is a risk factor for this circulatory system. METHODS: The study was conducted with 73 individuals (men and women) with mechanical cervicalgia, with an average age of 37.7±6.4 years. Fifty-eight had mild to moderate pain, randomly divided into control group (CG) and experimental-1 (EG-1), and 15 with severe pain in the experimental-2 group (EG-2). All subjects were submitted to the artery ultrasound (ICA, VA, and BA) in a blind methodology for the tests 1 (E1) and 2 (E2). Between E1 and E2, one single OM-CRAT was performed in the EGs 1 and 2 and resting for the CG. RESULTS: In the EG-1 there was a slight reduction of the BFV in the right ICA. In the EG-2 there was a significant increase of the BFV in the right VA. All samples presented normality. In the CG there was a reduction of the BFV in the left VA. When comparing the three groups, there was significance for the CG as EG-2 of the BFV in the right ICA (in E1) and of the BFV in the left ICA (in E2). CONCLUSION: Despite the BFV oscillations, one can conclude that the OM-CRAT generates oscillation in the BFV within the normality parameters and it is not a risk factor for cerebral circulation.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A manipulação vertebral cervical (MVC) pode reduzir ou melhorar a dor e a tontura de origem cervical. No entanto, há críticas contra a MVC. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se a manipulação osteopática (MO) com técnica articulatória rítmica cervical (TARC) proporciona oscilações de velocidade de fluxo sanguíneo (VFS) nas artérias carótidas internas (ACI), vertebrais (AV) e basilar (AB), e se essa técnica é um fator de risco para esse sistema circulatório. MÉTODOS: A casuística foi constituída de 73 indivíduos (homens e mulheres) com cervicalgia mecânica, com idade média de 37,7±6,4 anos, sendo 58 com dor leve a moderada, divididos por aleatorização em grupos controle (GC) e experimental-1 (GE-1), e 15 com dor intensa no grupo experimental-2 (GE-2). Todos foram submetidos à ultrassonografia arterial (em ACI, AV e AB) em metodologia encoberta para os exames 1 (E1) e 2 (E2). Entre E1 e E2 foi realizado única MO-TARC para os GE 1 e 2, e repouso para o GC. RESULTADOS: Em GE-1 houve pequena redução de VFS da ACI direita. Em GE-2 houve aumento significativo de VFS na AV direita. Todas as amostras apresentaram normalidade. Em GC houve redução de VFS da AV esquerda. No comparativo entre os três grupos houve significância para o GC como GE-2 na VFS da ACI direita (em E1) e na VFS da ACI esquerda (em E2). CONCLUSÃO: Apesar das oscilações de VFS, concluiu-se que a MO-TARC gera oscilação de VFS dentro dos parâmetros de normalidade e não é um fator de risco para a circulação cerebral.

The effect of a six-week osteopathic visceral manipulation in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain and functional constipation: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the proposed study is to analyze the effect of a six-week osteopathic visceral manipulation (OVM) program on the flexion-relaxation phenomenon in individuals with non-specific chronic low back pain (LBP) and functional constipation. METHODS/DESIGN: An assessor-blinded, two-arm, randomized, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted. The sample will comprise 76 individuals with non-specific chronic LBP who have functional intestinal constipation, aged 18-65 years. The participants will be randomly allocated to two groups: (1) OVM and (2) sham OVM (SOVM). Evaluations will involve an interview, the Oswestry Disability Index, Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, functional constipation according to Rome III criteria, Biering-Sorensen test to normalize electromyographic (EMG) data, T12-L1 paraspinal level of the EMG signal during the flexion-relaxation phenomenon, 11-point numeric pain rating scale and fingertip-to-floor test. OVM and SOVM will be performed once per week for six weeks. Group 1 will receive OVM for 15 min and Group 2 will receive a sham visceral technique. Evaluations will be performed before and after the first session, after six weeks of treatment, and three months after randomization (follow-up). The findings will be analyzed statistically considering a 5% significance level (p ≤ 0.05). The limitation of the study is that the therapist will not be blinded. DISCUSSION: This will be the first trial to analyze the clinical response and electromyographic signals during the flexion-relaxation phenomenon after OVM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry, RBR-7sx8j3 . Registered on 26 October 2017.

Treatment of tension-type headache with articulatory and suboccipital soft tissue therapy: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

This study researches the effectiveness of two manual therapy treatments focused on the suboccipital region for tension-type headache. A randomized double-blind clinical trial was conducted over a period of four weeks with a follow-up at one month. Eighty-four patients with a mean age of 39.7 years (SD 11.4) with tension-type headache were assigned to 4 groups which included the following manual therapy treatment: suboccipital soft tissue inhibition; occiput-atlas-axis global manipulation; combination of both techniques; and a control group. The primary assessment consisted of collecting socio-demographic data and headache characteristics in a one-month base period, data such as age, gender, severity of pain, intensity and frequency of headache, among other. Outcome secondary assessment were: impact of headache, disability, ranges of motion of the craniocervical junction, frequency and intensity of headache, and pericranial tenderness. In the month prior to the study, average pain intensity, was rated at 6.49 (SD 1.69), and 66.7% subjects suffered headaches of moderate intensity. After 8 weeks, statistically significant improvements were noted. OAA manipulative treatment and combined therapy treatments proved to be more effective than suboccipital soft tissue inhibition for tension-type headache. The treatment with suboccipital soft tissue inhibition, despite producing less significant results, also has positive effects on different aspects of headache.

Immediate effects of the suboccipital muscle inhibition technique in craniocervical posture and greater occipital nerve mechanosensitivity in subjects with a history of orthodontia use: a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to measure the immediate differences in craniocervical posture and pressure pain threshold of the greater occipital (GO) nerve in asymptomatic subjects with a history of having used orthodontics, after intervention by a suboccipital muscle inhibition (SMI) technique. METHODS: This was a randomized, single-blind, clinical study with a sample of 24 subjects (21±1.78 years) that were divided into an experimental group (n=12) who underwent the SMI technique and a sham group (n=12) who underwent a sham (placebo) intervention. The sitting and standing craniovertebral angle and the pressure pain threshold of the GO nerve in both hemispheres were measured. RESULTS: The between-group comparison of the sample indicated that individuals subjected to the SMI technique showed a statistically significant increase in the craniovertebral angle in both the sitting (P<.001, F1,22=102.09, R2=0.82) and the standing (P<.001, F1,22=21.42, R2=0.56) positions and in the GO nerve pressure pain threshold in the nondominant hemisphere (P=.014, F1,22=7.06, R2=0.24). There were no statistically significant differences observed for the GO nerve mechanosensitivity in the dominant side (P=.202). CONCLUSION: Suboccipital muscle inhibition technique immediately improved the position of the head with the subject seated and standing, the clinical effect size being large in the former case. It also immediately decreased the mechanosensitivity of the GO nerve in the nondominant hemisphere, although the effect size was small.

Immediate effects of the suboccipital muscle inhibition technique in subjects with short hamstring syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of the suboccipital muscle inhibition technique in patients with short hamstring syndrome by means of tests designed to evaluate the elasticity of the hamstring muscles and pressure algometry of myofascial trigger points. METHODS: Randomized clinical trial (pre and postintervention). The study population comprised young adult students following their studies at the Physiotherapy School at the University of Extremadura (Spain) and footballers from an Extremadura Football Club with short hamstring syndrome. The sample (70 subjects = 47 male and 23 female) was randomly divided into a control group (n = 34) and an intervention group (n = 36). Mean sample age was 23.40 +/- 3.82 years. The control group was subjected to a placebo technique, whereas the intervention group was subjected to the suboccipital muscle inhibition technique. Pre and postintervention evaluation was used for the assessment of hamstring elasticity, and pressure algometry was also used (myofascial trigger points). Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 14.5 package (SPSS Inc, Chicago, Ill), comparing the sample between groups (Kolmorogov-Smirnov test, Student t test, 2-way analysis of variance [ANOVA], the chi(2) test). RESULTS: The distribution of the quantitative variables was normal, and the mean time doing physical activity per week was 2.82 +/- 4.03 hours. Two-way ANOVA afforded statistically significant results for the finger-floor test, straight leg raise test-left, straight leg raise test-right, left popliteal angle test (P values < .001), and right popliteal angle test (P = .005). For pressure algometry, only the right semimembranosus muscle afforded statistically significant differences (P = .021). CONCLUSIONS: According to the finger-floor distance test, the straight leg raise test, and the popliteal angle test, the suboccipital muscle inhibition technique modified the elasticity of the hamstring muscles for this group of subjects. The suboccipital muscle inhibition technique modifies the pressure algometry of the semimembranosus muscle but does not modify that of the semitendinosus muscle or biceps femoris.

Changes in pressure pain sensitivity in latent myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle after a cervical spine manipulation in pain-free subjects.

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed the immediate effects on pressure pain threshold (PPT) in latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius muscle of a single cervical spine manipulation directed at the C3 through C4 level. METHODS: Seventy-two volunteers (27 men and 46 women; mean age, 31 years; SD, 10 years) participated in this study. Subjects underwent a screening process to establish both the presence of MTrPs in the upper trapezius muscle as described by Simons et al (Myofascial pain and dysfunction: the trigger point manual, vol 2. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1999. p. 23-34) and the presence of intervertebral joint dysfunction at the C3 through C4 level by the lateral gliding test for the cervical spine. Subjects were divided randomly into 2 groups: manipulative group, which received a cervical spine manipulation directed at the C3 through C4 level, and a placebo group, which received a sham manual procedure. The outcome measure was the PPT on the MTrP in the upper trapezius muscle ipsilateral to the side of the joint dysfunction, which was assessed pretreatment and 1, 5, and 10 minutes posttreatment by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation of the subject. RESULTS: The analysis of variance showed a significant effect for time (F = 5.157; P = .02) but not for side (F = 0.234; P = .63). Furthermore, an interaction between group and time was also found (F = 37.240; P < .001). The experimental group showed a trend toward an increase in PPT levels after the manipulative procedure, whereas the control group showed a trend toward a decrease in PPT. Positive within-group effect sizes ranging from medium to small were found in the manipulative group (0.1