The Effect of Manipulation and Mobilisation on Pressure Pain Thresholds in the Thoracic Spine

High velocity low amplitude (HVLA) thrust manipulation and mobilisation are commonly used by manual therapists to relieve spinal pain and improve mobility. The aim of this controlled, single blinded study was to investigate the effect of manipulation and mobilisation on pressure-pain thresholds (PPT) in the thoracic spine in an asymptomatic population. Subjects (N=96) were screened for tender thoracic segments, and PPT measurements were made using an electronic pressure algometer immediately before and after treatment intervention. Subjects were randomly allocated into three intervention groups, and received either a single high velocity extension thrust, thirty seconds of extension mobilisation, or thirty seconds of sham treatment (control) consisting of ‘laser acupuncture’. Within-group pre and post-intervention PPT values were analysed using dependent t-tests, revealing significant changes in the mobilisation (p