SIB#386- Increased Activation of Elbow Flexors After Cervical Manipulation

SIB 386- The Study: Increased Voluntary Activation of the Elbow Flexors Following a Single Session of Spinal Manipulation in a Subclinical Neck Pain Population.                  

The Facts:

a. The study examined 18 subjects who all suffered from subclinical neck pain.

b. Every subject was seen for two sessions.

c. Subjects received either a cervical manipulation or a sham.

d. In the control group, each subject received passive motion of the spine and was then placed into a position in which the chiropractor would normally have used to give a spinal manipulation.

e. In each session the voluntary activation of the elbow flexors was measured.

f. “ The current study also demonstrated that voluntary activation of the elbow flexors was enhanced immediately following spinal manipulation directed to dysfunctional vertebral segments in participants with subclinical neck pain.” (emphasis ours)

g. The authors concluded: “A single session of spinal manipulation in participants with subclinical neck pain resulted in an immediate increase in voluntary activation of the elbow flexors. The site of neural adaptation post-manipulation must have occurred at or above the level of the motor cortex.” (emphasis ours)

h. It should be noted that the manipulation of the subjects included spinal AND sacroiliac joints. (emphasis ours)

i. The manipulations were performed by a registered chiropractor and were all classified as “high velocity, low amplitude thrusts to the dysfunctional vertebral segments.”

  Take Home:

Spinal manipulation of dysfunctional spinal segments increased voluntary activation of elbow flexors which the authors interpreted as a facilitation of cortical output.

Reviewer's Comments:

I find this study very interesting. It certainly points to the fact that chiropractic care can have an effect on things other than pain. I thank the authors for their interesting approach and for expanding their horizon beyond mere pain relief.

Reviewer:  Roger Coleman DC

Editor: Mark R. Payne DC

Reference: Mat Kingett, Kelly Holt, Imran Khan Niazi, Rasmus Wiberg Nedergaard, Michael Lee, Heidi Haavik. Increased Voluntary Activation of the Elbow Flexors Following a Single Session of Spinal Manipulation in a Subclinical Neck Pain Population. Brain Sci. 2019 Jun 12;9(6). pii: E136. doi: 10.3390/brainsci9060136.

Link to Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Mat+Kingett%2C+Kelly+Holt%2C

Link to Full Text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628214/pdf/brainsci-09-00136.pdf