Effectiveness of thoracic spine manipulation in conjunction with cranial base release technique on pain and range of motion in patients with mechanical neck pain

Abstract

Background: Pain originates from the neck and may radiate to the shoulder or base of the cranium and is often aggravated by anxiety, depression, soft-tissue strain, occupational activities, and poor posture. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of thoracic spine manipulation along with cranial base release technique to improve motion and alleviate pain in individuals suffering from mechanical neck pain. Materials and Methods: We recruited 60 individuals (male: 31 and female: 29) who were suffering from mechanical neck pain. The participants were randomly distributed into Groups A and B. Patients of Group A underwent conventional physiotherapy treatment, whereas patients of Group B patients underwent thoracic spine manipulation and cranial base release. Baseline range of motion and pain were evaluated before starting the treatment, and postintervention measures were obtained after the weeks of intervention. Results: All participants completed 2 weeks of treatment. Group A had shown better outcome in all the parameters than Group B. We observed that the pain and cervical range of motions of Group B patients were statistically significantly different from those of Group A patients (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Thoracic spine manipulation in conjunction with cranial base release technique is more effective in the management of pain and cervical range of motion compared to the conventional physiotherapy treatment.