title: Thrust and nonthrust manipulation for older adults with low back pain: an evaluation of pain and disability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of thrust manipulation (TM) and non-TM (NTM) on a sample of older subjects with low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a secondary data analysis of a randomized control trial. Forty-nine subjects aged 55 to 88 years participated in the trial, who received either a TM or NTM on at least 2 occasions during the course of care, and were extracted from the larger data set. The treatment program included a standardized home exercise program for the first 2 sessions, which could be modified by the therapist after those 2 sessions. Numeric pain rating scale and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were the outcomes for this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis revealed no significant between-group differences for treatment group (P=.99) without group×time interaction (P=.90). Significant within-group changes were observed for both groups for ODI and numeric pain rating scale (P<.001); the average self-report of recovery was 78.0% (SD, 19.8%). Age stratification of the older subset revealed between-group differences in ODI change scores for the oldest subjects (>70 years) compared with 60 to 69 years (P=.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that outcomes for both TM and NTM improved in older adults with low back pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio 44555, USA. klearman@ysu.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Learman
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Showalter
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Halloran
authors.forename: Chad E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D020393:Manipulation, Spinal / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aged; Low Back Pain; Musculoskeletal Manipulations