title: Short-term effect of spinal manipulation on pain perception, spinal mobility, and full height recovery in male subjects with degenerative disk disease: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the short-term effect on spinal mobility, pain perception, neural mechanosensitivity, and full height recovery after high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) spinal manipulation (SM) in the lumbosacral joint (L5-S1).
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial with evaluations at baseline and after intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based physical therapy research clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men (N=40; mean age ± SD, 38 ± 9.14 y) with diagnosed degenerative lumbar disease at L5-S1 were randomly divided into 2 groups: a treatment group (TG) (n=20; mean age ± SD, 39 ± 9.12 y) and a control group (CG) (n=20; mean age ± SD, 37 ± 9.31 y). All participants completed the intervention and follow-up evaluations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single L5-S1 SM technique (pull-move) was performed in the TG, whereas the CG received a single placebo intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures included assessing the subject's height using a stadiometer. The secondary outcome measures included perceived low back pain, evaluated using a visual analog scale; neural mechanosensitivity, as assessed using the passive straight-leg raise (SLR) test; and amount of spinal mobility in flexion, as measured using the finger-to-floor distance (FFD) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intragroup comparison indicated a significant improvement in all variables in the TG (P<.001). There were no changes in the CG, except for the FFD test (P=.008). In the between-group comparison of the mean differences from pre- to postintervention, there was statistical significance for all cases (P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An HVLA SM in the lumbosacral joint performed on men with degenerative disk disease immediately improves self-perceived pain, spinal mobility in flexion, hip flexion during the passive SLR test, and subjects' full height. Future studies should include women and should evaluate the long-term results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty Dom Bosco, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vieira-Pellenz
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliva-Pascual-Vaca
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Cleofás
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Blanco
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain. Electronic address: amheredia@us.es.
authors.forename: Alberto Marcos
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Heredia-Rizo
authors.affiliation: Madrid Osteopathic School, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ricard
authors.affiliation: Madrid Osteopathic School, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ginés
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Almazán-Campos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D020393:Manipulation, Spinal / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012447:Sacrum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Intervertebral disc degeneration; Intervertebral disc disease; Manipulation, spinal; Rehabilitation