Passmore SR, Gelley GM, Malone Q, MacNeil BJ. Tactile Perception of Pressure and Volitional Thrust Intensity Modulate Spinal Manipulation Dose Characteristics.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2019;
42:335-342. [PMID:
31272711 DOI:
10.1016/j.jmpt.2018.11.017]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine clinicians' ability to modulate spinal manipulation (SM) thrust characteristics based on their tactile perception of pressure and volitional intensity.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional, within-participants design, 13 doctors of chiropractic delivered SM thrusts of perceived least, appropriate, or greatest intensity of their perceived safe output level for an SM thrust on low-fidelity thoracic spine models of 4 different pressure levels. The participants performed SM over the course of 96 trials in a randomized order on combinations of thrust intensity and pressure. Dependent variables included normalized preload force, thrust force, thrust duration, peak acceleration, time to peak acceleration, and displacement. For all dependent measures, 2-factor within-participants analysis of variance models with repeated measures on both factors were performed.
RESULTS
Preload force increased with intensity (F2,24 = 9.72; P < .001) and model pressure (F3,36 = 4.27; P = .011). Participants modulated thrust force and displacement as each also increased with intensity escalation (F2,24 = 22.53, P < .001; F2,18 = 45.20, P < .001). The highest accelerations were observed during the greatest intensity. Increased thrust force was delivered at higher model pressures (F3,36 = 6.43; P < .001). A significant interaction demonstrated that as volitional thrust intensity increased, greater displacement was attained, particularly on low pressure models (F6,54 = 11.06; P < .001). Thrust duration and time to peak acceleration yielded no significant differences.
CONCLUSION
Spinal manipulation thrust dosage was modulated by the chiropractors' tactile perception of pressure and volitional intensity.
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