Biomechanical characterization (fingerprinting) of five novel methods of cervical spine manipulation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the biomechanical characteristics of five clinically common methods of cervical spine manipulation.


METHODS
Descriptive study.


METHODS
Human Performance Lab, University of Calgary.


METHODS
Five volunteer practitioners treating symptomatic patients from their own clinical populations.


METHODS
Five commonly used methods of cervical spine manipulation: lateral break (LAT), Gonstead (GON), Activator (ACT), toggle (TOG), rotation (ROT).


METHODS
Mean thrust duration (msec), normalized mean peak force (N), slope (N/msec), force profile (graphic representation of the above values.


RESULTS
Outcome measures for each manipulative technique were as follows: LAT = normalized mean peak force of 102.2 N at 86.7 msec, GON = 109.8 N at 91.9 msec, ACT = 40.9 N at 31.8 msec, TOG = 117.6 N at 47.5 msec, ROT = 40.5 N at 79.1 msec.


CONCLUSIONS
The observed differences and similarities in force profiles between the five techniques studied here may partly be the manifestation of how a particular technique delivers force to the cervical spine. The clinical significance of force profile characterization is not yet known.
Kawchuk
G N
GN
University of Calgary, Faculty of Physical Education, Alberta, Canada.
Herzog
W
W
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013131:Spine