Cervical Manips vs. Mobs: 2010 RCT
The Question: Is neck manipulation more effective for neck pain than mobilization?
The Study: An RCT based in primary care physiotherapy, chiropractic, and osteopathy clinics in Australia. Patients with neck pain of less than 3 months in duration were randomly assigned to receive treatment with neck manipulations or mobilizations twice a week for 2 weeks (4 treatments sessions in total).
The Result: Patients treated with neck manipulations did not experience more rapid recovery than those treated with neck mobilizations.
The Conclusion: Cervical manipulations cannot be justified on the basis that they are ?superior? or that they provide faster relief.
Personal Comment: I avoid cervical manips for 2 simple reasons. Firstly, it?s just not worth the rare but possible risk and secondly the Mulligan based mobs are consistently far more effective!
Posted on: March 22, 2011
Categories: Cervical Spine
