Characterization of thoracic spinal manipulation and mobilization forces in older adults

Martha Funabashi; James Son; Cosma Gary Pecora; Steven Tran; Joyce Lee; Samuel Howarth; Gregory Kawchuk; Katie de Luca

doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105450

Characterization of thoracic spinal manipulation and mobilization forces in older adults

Martha Funabashi^*, James Son, Cosma Gary Pecora, Steven Tran, Joyce Lee, Samuel Howarth, Gregory Kawchuk, Katie de Luca

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Background: Spinal mobilization and spinal manipulation are common interventions used by manual therapists to treat musculoskeletal conditions in older adults. Their force-time characteristics applied to older adults' thoracic spine are important considerations for effectiveness and safety but remain unknown. This study aimed to describe the force-time characteristics of posterior-to-anterior spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to older adults' thoracic spine.

Methods: Twenty-one older adults (≥65 years) with no thoracic pain received posterior-to-anterior thoracic spinal mobilization and/or manipulation with the force characteristics a chiropractor deemed appropriate. Six-degree-of-freedom load cells and an instrumented treatment table recorded the force characteristics of both interventions at the clinician-participant and participant-table interfaces, respectively. Preload force, total peak force, time to peak and loading rate were analyzed descriptively.

Findings: Based on data from 18 adults (56% female; average: 70 years old), mean resultant spinal mobilization forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 220 ± 51 N during preload, 323 ± 67 N total peak force, and 312 ± 38 ms time to peak. At the participant-table interface, mobilization forces were 201 ± 50 N during preload, 296 ± 63 N total peak force, and 308 ± 44 ms time to peak. Mean resultant spinal manipulation forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 260 ± 41 N during preload, 470 ± 46 N total peak force, and 165 ± 28 ms time to peak. At the participant table interface, spinal manipulation forces were 236 ± 47 N during preload, 463 ± 57 N total peak force, and 169 ± 28 ms time to peak.

Interpretation: Results suggest older adults experience unique, but comparable force-time characteristics during spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to their thoracic spine compared to the ones delivered to younger adults described in the literature.

Original language	English
Article number	105450
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	Clinical Biomechanics
Volume	89
Early online date	14 Aug 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105450
Publication status	Published - Oct 2021

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

Spinal manipulation
Spinal mobilization
Thoracic spine
Older adults
Biomechanics

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10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105450

Publisher version (open version)Final published version, 943 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Characterization of thoracic spinal manipulation and mobilization forces in older adults",

abstract = "Background: Spinal mobilization and spinal manipulation are common interventions used by manual therapists to treat musculoskeletal conditions in older adults. Their force-time characteristics applied to older adults' thoracic spine are important considerations for effectiveness and safety but remain unknown. This study aimed to describe the force-time characteristics of posterior-to-anterior spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to older adults' thoracic spine. Methods: Twenty-one older adults (≥65 years) with no thoracic pain received posterior-to-anterior thoracic spinal mobilization and/or manipulation with the force characteristics a chiropractor deemed appropriate. Six-degree-of-freedom load cells and an instrumented treatment table recorded the force characteristics of both interventions at the clinician-participant and participant-table interfaces, respectively. Preload force, total peak force, time to peak and loading rate were analyzed descriptively. Findings: Based on data from 18 adults (56\% female; average: 70 years old), mean resultant spinal mobilization forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 220 ± 51 N during preload, 323 ± 67 N total peak force, and 312 ± 38 ms time to peak. At the participant-table interface, mobilization forces were 201 ± 50 N during preload, 296 ± 63 N total peak force, and 308 ± 44 ms time to peak. Mean resultant spinal manipulation forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 260 ± 41 N during preload, 470 ± 46 N total peak force, and 165 ± 28 ms time to peak. At the participant table interface, spinal manipulation forces were 236 ± 47 N during preload, 463 ± 57 N total peak force, and 169 ± 28 ms time to peak. Interpretation: Results suggest older adults experience unique, but comparable force-time characteristics during spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to their thoracic spine compared to the ones delivered to younger adults described in the literature.",

keywords = "Spinal manipulation, Spinal mobilization, Thoracic spine, Older adults, Biomechanics",

author = "Martha Funabashi and James Son and Pecora, \{Cosma Gary\} and Steven Tran and Joyce Lee and Samuel Howarth and Gregory Kawchuk and \{de Luca\}, Katie",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105450",

language = "English",

volume = "89",

pages = "1--8",

journal = "Clinical Biomechanics",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterization of thoracic spinal manipulation and mobilization forces in older adults

AU - Funabashi, Martha

AU - Son, James

AU - Pecora, Cosma Gary

AU - Tran, Steven

AU - Lee, Joyce

AU - Howarth, Samuel

AU - Kawchuk, Gregory

AU - de Luca, Katie

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - Background: Spinal mobilization and spinal manipulation are common interventions used by manual therapists to treat musculoskeletal conditions in older adults. Their force-time characteristics applied to older adults' thoracic spine are important considerations for effectiveness and safety but remain unknown. This study aimed to describe the force-time characteristics of posterior-to-anterior spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to older adults' thoracic spine. Methods: Twenty-one older adults (≥65 years) with no thoracic pain received posterior-to-anterior thoracic spinal mobilization and/or manipulation with the force characteristics a chiropractor deemed appropriate. Six-degree-of-freedom load cells and an instrumented treatment table recorded the force characteristics of both interventions at the clinician-participant and participant-table interfaces, respectively. Preload force, total peak force, time to peak and loading rate were analyzed descriptively. Findings: Based on data from 18 adults (56% female; average: 70 years old), mean resultant spinal mobilization forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 220 ± 51 N during preload, 323 ± 67 N total peak force, and 312 ± 38 ms time to peak. At the participant-table interface, mobilization forces were 201 ± 50 N during preload, 296 ± 63 N total peak force, and 308 ± 44 ms time to peak. Mean resultant spinal manipulation forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 260 ± 41 N during preload, 470 ± 46 N total peak force, and 165 ± 28 ms time to peak. At the participant table interface, spinal manipulation forces were 236 ± 47 N during preload, 463 ± 57 N total peak force, and 169 ± 28 ms time to peak. Interpretation: Results suggest older adults experience unique, but comparable force-time characteristics during spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to their thoracic spine compared to the ones delivered to younger adults described in the literature.

AB - Background: Spinal mobilization and spinal manipulation are common interventions used by manual therapists to treat musculoskeletal conditions in older adults. Their force-time characteristics applied to older adults' thoracic spine are important considerations for effectiveness and safety but remain unknown. This study aimed to describe the force-time characteristics of posterior-to-anterior spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to older adults' thoracic spine. Methods: Twenty-one older adults (≥65 years) with no thoracic pain received posterior-to-anterior thoracic spinal mobilization and/or manipulation with the force characteristics a chiropractor deemed appropriate. Six-degree-of-freedom load cells and an instrumented treatment table recorded the force characteristics of both interventions at the clinician-participant and participant-table interfaces, respectively. Preload force, total peak force, time to peak and loading rate were analyzed descriptively. Findings: Based on data from 18 adults (56% female; average: 70 years old), mean resultant spinal mobilization forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 220 ± 51 N during preload, 323 ± 67 N total peak force, and 312 ± 38 ms time to peak. At the participant-table interface, mobilization forces were 201 ± 50 N during preload, 296 ± 63 N total peak force, and 308 ± 44 ms time to peak. Mean resultant spinal manipulation forces at the clinician-participant interface were: 260 ± 41 N during preload, 470 ± 46 N total peak force, and 165 ± 28 ms time to peak. At the participant table interface, spinal manipulation forces were 236 ± 47 N during preload, 463 ± 57 N total peak force, and 169 ± 28 ms time to peak. Interpretation: Results suggest older adults experience unique, but comparable force-time characteristics during spinal mobilization and manipulation delivered to their thoracic spine compared to the ones delivered to younger adults described in the literature.

KW - Spinal manipulation

KW - Spinal mobilization

KW - Thoracic spine

KW - Older adults

KW - Biomechanics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85113353974

U2 - 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105450

DO - 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105450

M3 - Article

C2 - 34450432

SN - 0268-0033

VL - 89

SP - 1

EP - 8

JO - Clinical Biomechanics

JF - Clinical Biomechanics

M1 - 105450

ER -

Characterization of thoracic spinal manipulation and mobilization forces in older adults

Abstract

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