• Koji Nakamaru, Junya Aizawa, Keizo Kawarada, Yukari Uemura, Takayuki Koyama, and Osamu Nitta.
• Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Terashima Orthopaedic Clinic, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Human Health Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan; Athletic Rehabilitation Section, Clinical Center for Sports Medicine and Sports Dentistry Sports Science Organization, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: kojinaka@tmu.ac.jp.
• J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2019 Apr 1; 23 (2): 417-424.

ObjectivesTo investigate the immediate effects of thoracic spine self-mobilization in patients with mechanical neck pain.Study DesignRandomized, controlled trial.BackgroundThoracic spine self-mobilization is performed after thoracic spine thrust manipulation to augment and maintain its effects. To the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated the effects of thoracic spine self-mobilization alone in individuals with mechanical neck pain. The purpose of this randomized, controlled trial was to evaluate the immediate effects of thoracic spine self-mobilization alone without any other intervention on disability, pain, and cervical range of motion in patients with mechanical neck pain.MethodsFifty-two patients (39 females and 13 males) with mechanical neck pain were randomly allocated to either a thoracic spine self-mobilization group that was performing a thoracic spine active flexion and extension activity using two tennis balls fixed by athletic tape or a placebo thoracic spine self-mobilization group. Outcome measures were collected at pre-intervention and immediately after intervention, including the Neck Disability Index, visual analogue scale, and active cervical range of motion (ROM). The immediate effect of the intervention was analyzed using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). If interactions were found, a simple main effect test was performed to compare the pre-post intra-group results.ResultsThe results of two-way repeated measures ANOVA indicated that the main effect of time was significant (p < 0.05) for all measurement outcomes. The main effect of group was not significant for all measurement outcomes (p > 0.05). The group × time interactions for cervical flexion active ROM (p = 0.005) and cervical extension active ROM (p = 0.036) were significant. The tests of simple main effect in cervical flexion active ROM (p < 0.0001) and cervical extension active ROM (p < 0.0001) showed a significant difference before and after intervention in the thoracic spine self-mobilization group.ConclusionPatients with mechanical neck pain who carried out thoracic spine self-mobilization showed increases in active cervical flexion and extension ROM.Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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