Table 3 Descriptions of studies included in systematic review
1st author, year, country | Design | No. of participants | Age (range) | Male/ Female | Musculoskeletal pain type | Source of participants | SMT | Control or comparison/s | Outcome measure/s | PPT area | Time of follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bautista-Aguirre 2017, Spain [27] | 3 arm RCT | 88 (28/30/30) | 32 (NR) | 24/64 | Chronic non-specific NP | Primary care | 1. C7 HVLA SMT 2. T3 HVLA SMT (NR if 2nd allowed) | Control (manual contact to head for 3 min) | PPT @ median nerve at wrist & elbow, ulnar nerve at elbow, radial nerve at upper arm | 1. Regional 2. Remote | Immediate |
Bialosky 2009, USA [22] | 3 arm RCT | 36 (12/12/12) | 32 (NR) | 10/26 | Non-specific LBP | General population & primary care | Bilateral SIJ HVLA SMT (2 regardless of cavitation) | 1. Stationary bicycle (5 min) 2. Lumbar extension exercises | TS @ palmar hand & plantar foot Aδ “first” pain @ volar forearm & calf | NA | Immediate |
Bialosky 2014, USA [23] | 4 arm RCT | 110 (28/27/27/28) | 32 (NR) | 33/77 | Non-specific LBP | General population & primary care (not direct referral) | Bilateral SIJ HVLA SMT (2 regardless of cavitation) | 1. Sham SMT 2. Sham SMT + positive expectation 3. Control (5 min quiet sitting) | Mechanical pain sensitivity @ PSIS & 1st web-space of foot Suprathreshold heat response @ plantar foot Aftersensations @ plantar foot | NA | Immediate |
Casanova-Méndez 2014, Spain [28] | 2 arm RCT | 60 (30/30) | 38 (NR) | 17/43 | Chronic non-specific NP | Primary care | 1. T4 supine HVLA SMT 2. T4 toggle-recoil HVLA SMT (2nd if no cavitation) | Nil | PPT @ C4 SP, T4 SP, & upper trapezius | Local & remote | Immediate 20 min |
Coronado 2015, USA [33] | 3 arm RCT | 78 (26/27/25) | 39 (NR) | 42/36 | General shoulder pain | General population & primary care | Mid-cervical HVLA SMT (NR if pre-specified, 2nd if no cavitation) | 1. Shoulder manipulation 2. Shoulder exercise program | PPT @ acromion & tibialis anterior HPT @ volar forearm TS @ volar forearm | Regional & remote | Immediate 1–2 wks |
Côté 1994, Canada [25] | 2 arm RCT | 30 (16/14) | 31 (22–50) | 16/14 | Chronic non-specific LBP | Primary care | L5-S1 or SIJ HVLA SMT (therapist-chosen level, NR if 2nd allowed) | Lumbar mobilisation | PPT @ L5 paraspinals, SIJ, & upper gluteal muscles | Local & regional | Immediate 15 min 30 min |
De Oliveira 2013, Brazil [32] | 2 arm RCT | 148 (74/74) | 46 (NR) | 39/109 | Chronic non-specific LBP | General population & primary care | 1. “Global” T1-T5 HVLA SMT (pre-specified) 2. Lumbar HVLA SMT (therapist-chosen level) (NR if 2nd allowed) | Nil | PPT @ L3 & L5 paraspinals, & tibialis anterior | 1. Remote 2. Local & regional | Immediate |
Fernández-Carnero 2008, Spain [34] | 2 arm cross-over RCT | 10 | 42 (30–49) | 5/5 | Lateral epicondylalgia | General population | C5–6 HVLA SMT (2nd if no cavitation) | Sham SMT | PPT @ lateral epicondyle HPT @ lateral epicondyle CPT @ lateral epicondyle | Regional | 5 min |
Kardouni 2015, USA [35] | 2 arm RCT | 45 (24/21) | 31 (18–59) | 22/23 | Shoulder pain | General population & primary care | Thoracic HVLA SMT (NR if pre-specified, 2 thrusts in each of lower, mid, and upper) | Sham SMT | PPT @ deltoid & lower trapezius | Regional & remote | Immediate |
Lopez-Lopez 2015, Spain [29] | 3 arm RCT | 48 (15/16/17) | 35/36/37 by group (NR) | 6/42 | Chronic non-specific NP | Primary care | Cervical HVLA SMT (therapist-chosen level, 2nd if no cavitation) | 1. P-A grade III mobilisation 2. Sustained apophyseal natural glide mobilisation | PPT @ C2 SP | Local | 5 min |
Maduro de Camargo 2011, Brazil [30] | 2 arm RCT | 37 (17/20) | 31/28 by group (19–45) | 21/16 | Non-specific NP | General population | C5–6 HVLA SMT (2nd if no cavitation) | Control (2 min quiet sitting) | PPT @ upper trapezius, deltoid, & C5 SP | Local & regional | 5 min |
Mansilla-Ferragut 2009, Spain [26] | 2 arm RCT | 37 (18/19) | 35 (21–50) | 0/37 | Chronic non-specific NP | General population | Bilateral C0–1 HVLA SMT (2nd if no cavitation) | Sham SMT | PPT @ temple | Regional | 5 min |
Martínez-Segura 2012, Spain [21] | 3 arm RCT | 90 (29/28/33) | 37 (NR) | 44/46 | Chronic non-specific NP | Primary care | 1. Right mid-cervical HVLA SMT 2. Left mid-cervical HVLA SMT 3. Broad T1-T4 HVLA SMT (therapist-chosen level, 2nd if no cavitation) | Nil | PPT @ C5–6 facet, lateral epicondyle, & tibialis anterior | 1 & 2. Local, regional & remote 3. Remote | 10 min |
Packer 2014, Brazil [24] | 2 arm RCT | 32 (16/16) | 23/26 by group (21–29) | 0/32 | Chronic temporo-mandibular disorder & non-specific NP | NR | T1 HVLA SMT (2nd if no cavitation) | Sham SMT | PPT @ masseter, temporalis, & temporomandibular joint | Remote | Immediate 48–72 h |
Salom-Moreno 2014, Spain [31] | 2 arm RCT | 52 (27/25) | 33 (NR) | 22/30 | Chronic non-specific NP | Primary care | T3-T6 HVLA SMT (2nd if no cavitation) | T3-T6 grade III-IV mobilisation | PPT @ C5–6 facet, 2nd metacarpal, & tibialis anterior | Remote | 10 min |