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Table 1 Descriptive items used in a systematic critical literature review on the effect of SMT on pain

From: The effect of spinal manipulative therapy on experimentally induced pain: a systematic literature review

Reference

Year

Authors

Title

Location

Setting

n° of subjects

n° males

n° females

Ages

Treatment groups

How was pain produced

How was pain measured

When was pain measured

Description of study subjects

Approval ethics committee

[37]

2011

Josue Fernández-Carnero, Joshua A. Cleland and Roy La Touche Arbizu

Examination of motor and hypoalgesic effects of cervical vs thoracic spine manipulation in patients with lateral epicondyalgia: a clinical trial.

Spain

University

18?

8

9

44.8 SD, 9.2 (30–60)

- Cervical manipulation

Pressure

Electronic digital algometer

Before and after

Faculty of the Health Science

Yes

- Thoracic manipulation

[42]

2011

V. Maduro de Camargo, F. Alburquerque-Sendín, F. Bérzin, Vinicius Cobos Stefanelli, D. P. Rodrigues de Souza and C. Fernández-de-las-Peñas,

Immediate effects on electromyographic activity and pressure pain thresholds after a cervical manipulation in mechanical neck pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Brazil

University

37

21

16

18 – 42

- SMT C5-C6

Pressure

Analogue algometer

Before and after

University workers

Yes

- Control

[23]

2011

Mark D. Bishop, Jason M. Beneciuk, Steven Z. George;

Immediate reduction in temporal sensory summation after thoracic spinal manipulation.

USA

University

90

24

66

22.9 + −2.7

- SMT

T° and pressure

Algometer

Before and Immediately after

Students

No

- Cervical exercises

- Control

[28]

2010

Benjamin Soon, Annina B. Schmid, Elias J. Fridriksson, Elizabeth Gresslos, Philip Cheong and Anthony Wright;

A crossover study on the effect of cervical mobilization on motor function and pressure pain threshold in pain-free individuals.

Australia

University

24

13

11

34 +/−12

- Mobilization

Pressure

Digital algometer

Before and after

Students

Yes

- Manual contact control

- Control

[29]

2010

Oliveira-Campelo NM, Rubens-Rebelatto J, Martín-Vallejo FJ, Alburquerque-Sendí N F, Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C.

The immediate effects of atlanto-occipital joint manipulation and suboccipital muscle inhibition technique on active mouth opening and pressure pain sensitivity over latent myofascial trigger points in the masticatory muscles.

Spain

Osteopathic school and university

122

31

91

18-30

- Manipulation

Pressure

Mechanical algometer

Before and 2 min post treatment

Students

Yes

Brazil

- Soft tissue

- Control

[44]

2010

Elaine Willett, Clair Hebron and Oliver Krouwel

The initial effects of different rates of lumbar mobilizations on pressure pain thresholds in asymptomatic subjects.

UK

University

30

8

22

33.05 (18–57)

- 2 Hz

Pressure

Electronic algometer

Base

11 naive physiotherapists 19 non naive

Yes

- 1 Hz

+ 48 h

- Quasi stable

+ 48 h

[38]

2009

P. Mansilla-Ferragut, C. Fernández-de-las Peñas, F Alburquerque-Sendin, J. A. Cleland and JJ Boscá-Gandia

Immediate effects of atlanto-occipital joint

Spain

Osteopathic school

37

0

37

35 +/−8

- SMT

Pressure

Mechanical algometer

Before and after

Volunteers, general population

Yes

Manipulation on active mouth opening and pressure pain sensitivity in women with mechanical neck pain.

- Control

[30]

2009

Oliver Thomson, Lesley Haig, Hazel Mansfield

The effects of high-velocity low-amplitude thrust manipulation and mobilization techniques on pressure pain threshold in the lumbar spine.

Sweden

Stockholm College Osteopathic

50

29

21

27

- unilateral HVLAT

Pressure

Pressure algometer

Before and after

Students

Yes

UK

School British College

- Spinal lumbar mobilization

- Sham laser procedure

[43]

2009

Oliver Krouwel , Clair Hebron, Elaine Willett

An investigation into the potential hypoalgesic effects of different amplitudes of PA mobilizations on the lumbar spine as measured by pressure pain thresholds.

UK

University

30

9

21

26,43 (SD 4,92)

- Large oscillation (force applied)

Pressure

Digital algometer

Baseline before and + 24, + 24

13/30 physiotherapy naives

Yes

- Small oscillation quasi static

[18]

2009

Joel E. Bialosky, Mark D. Bishop, Michael E. Robinson, Giorgio Zeppieri Jr, Steven Z. George

Spinal manipulative therapy has an immediate effect on thermal pain sensitivity in people with low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

USA

University

36

10

26

32.38 (12.63)

- SMT

Numerical scale

Before and Immediately after

Students with low back pain

No

- Biking

- Back extension exercise

[19]

2008

J. Fernández-Carnero, Cesar Fernández-de-las-Peñas, and Joshua A. Cleland

Immediate hypoalgesic and motor effects after a single cervical manipulation in subjects with lateral epicondyalgia.

Spain

Universities and Osteopathic school Madrid

10

5

5

42 (SD6)

- Manipulative session

T° and pressure

Electronic algometer

Before and after

Patients

Yes

USA

- Manual contact intervention

[39]

2008

C. Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C. Alonso-Blanco, J. A. Cleland, C. Rodriguez-Blanco and F.Alburquerque-Sendin

Changes in pressure pain thresholds over C5-C6 zygapophyseal joint after a cervicothoracic junction manipulation in healthy subjects.

Spain

Universities and Osteopathic school Madrid

30

13

17

26 (SD 5)

- Manipulative thrust right side C7-T1

Pressure

Algometer

Before and after

General population

Yes

- Manipulative thrust left side C7-T1

USA

- Sham-manual procedure

[20]

2007

M. Ruiz-Sáez, C. Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C. Rodriguez Blanco, R. Martinez-Segura and R. Garcia-León

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

Spain

Osteopathic school

72

27

46

31 (SD10)

- Manipulative

Pressure

Mechanical algometer

Baseline before 1, 5 and 10 min after

Volunteers, general population

Yes

- Sham-manual

[31]

2007

Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Pérez-de-Heredia M, Brea-Rivero M, Miangolarra-Page JC.

Immediate effects on pressure pain threshold following a single cervical spine manipulation in healthy subjects.

Spain

Universities

15

7

8

21 + −2

- Manipulation

Pressure

Mechanical algometer

Before 5 min after intervention

Students

Yes

- Placebo

3 sessions separated by 48 h

- Control

[34]

2007

Hamilton L, Boswell C, Fryer G

The effects of high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation and muscle energy technique on suboccipital tenderness.

Australia

University

90

29

61

23 +/−5

- SMT (C0- C1)

Pressure

Electronic algometer

Before and after

Students

Yes

- Muscle energy technique

- Control

[36]

2006

George SZ, Bishop MD, Bialosky JE, Zeppieri G Jr, Robinson ME.

Immediate effects of spinal manipulation on thermal pain sensitivity: an experimental study.

USA

University

60

20

40

24.03(SD 3.2°

- SMT

Medoc neurosensory analyzer

Before and 5 min after

Students

Yes

- Lumbar ext exercise

- Bicycle riding

[40]

2004

P.Mohammadi, A. Gonsalves, Chris Tsai, T. Hummel and Thomas Carpenter

Areas of capsaicin-induced secondary hyperalgesia and allodynia are reduced by a single chiropractic adjustment: preliminary study.

USA

Universities

20

14

6

27 (21–37)

- SMT

Cutaneous capsaicin

Visual Analogue Scale

Before and 20 min after after

Healthy volunteers, mostly naive to SMT

Yes

Germany

- Non-SMT

[35]

2004

Fryer G, Carub J, McIver S.

The effect of manipulation and mobilization on pressure pain thresholds in the thoracic spine.

Australia

University

96

39

57

19-34

- SMT T2-T4

Pressure

Electronic algometer

Before and after

Students

Yes

- Mobilisation

- Control

[21]

2001

M. Sterling, G. Jull, A. Wright

Cervical mobilization: concurrent effects on pain, sympathetic nervous system activity and motor activity.

Canada

University

30

14

16

35.7 (SD 14.92)

- SMT

Pressure / T°

Visual Analogue Scale, electronic algometer

Before and after

Patients pain +3 months C5/6

Yes

- Placebo

- Control

[32]

1998

Bill Vicenzino, David Collins and Anthony Wright

An investigation of the Interrelationship between manipulative therapy-Induced hypoalgesia and sympathoexcitation.

Australia

University

24

11

13

49.0 (27–70)

- Mobilization C5-C6

Pressure / T°

Visual Analogue Scale, digital algometer

Before and after

Patients epicond 6.2 +/− 5.1 months

Yes

- Manual contact placebo

- Nothing

[33]

1996

Bill Vicenzino, David Collins and Anthony Wright

The initial effects of a cervical spine manipulative physiotherapy treatment on the pain and dysfunction of lateral epicondyalgia.

Australia

University

15

7

8

44 +/−2

- Treatment

Pressure

Visual Analogue Scale digital algometer

Before and after

Patients epicond 8 +/− 2 months

Yes

- Placebo

- Control

[41]

1984

Terrett AC, Vernon H.

Manipulation and pain tolerance. A controlled study of the effect of spinal manipulation on paraspinal cutaneous pain tolerance levels.

Canada

Chiropractic college

50

?

?

28.6

- Thoracic manipulation

Electrical induction

Thresholds

Before and after

Chiropractic students

No

 

- Control group

 
  1. T° = temperature.