title: Effect of lumbar spine manipulation on asymptomatic cyclist sprint performance and hip flexibility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of midlumbar spinal manipulation on asymptomatic cyclist sprint performance and hip flexibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve cyclists were equally randomized into an AB:BA crossover study design after baseline testing. Six participants were in the AB group, and 6 were in the BA group. The study involved 1 week of rest in between each of the 3 tested conditions: baseline testing (no intervention prior to testing), condition A (bilateral midlumbar spine manipulation prior to testing), and condition B (sham acupuncture prior to testing, as a control). Testing was blinded and involved a sit-and-reach test followed by a 0.5-km cycle ergometer sprint test against 4-kp resistance. Outcome measures were sit-and-reach distance, time to complete 0.5 km, maximum heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion. An additional 8 cyclists were recruited and used as a second set of controls that engaged in 3 testing sessions without any intervention to track test acclimation. An analysis of variance was used to compare dependent variables under each of the 3 conditions for the experimental group and control group #1, and a repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze test acclimation in control group #2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lumbar spine manipulation did not demonstrate statistically significant between-group changes in sit-and-reach (P = .765), 0.5-km sprint performance time (P = .877), maximum exercise heart rate (P = .944), or rating of perceived exertion (P = .875).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this preliminary study showed that midlumbar spinal manipulation did not improve hip flexibility or cyclist power output of asymptomatic participants compared with an acupuncture sham and no-treatment control groups.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bodziony
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor/Research Fellow, Department of Physiology and Chemistry, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Clinical Specialties, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX.
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coats
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Chair, Department of Principles and Practices, Department of Diagnosis, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koby
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX.
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goehry
keywords: Acupuncture; Chiropractic; Exercise; Exertion; Heart; Manipulation; Physical; Rate; Spinal