Manual therapy
-
The activity of the sympathetic nervous system is of importance to manual therapists, since the experience of pain is associated with sympathetic activity. There has been little exploration into the effects of mobilizing vertebral segments below the cervical spine. In addition to this, a synthesis of the evidence for changes in sympathetic outcome measures has not been completed. ⋯ Synthesis of the results established strong evidence (multiple high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for a positive change in skin conductance, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and heart rate among the healthy population. As only one study investigated changes in a symptomatic population, there was limited evidence (one RCT) for an increase in skin conductance and decrease in skin temperature. Evidence from this systematic review supports a sympatho-excitatory response to spinal mobilizations irrespective of the segment mobilized.
-
The activity of the sympathetic nervous system is of importance to manual therapists, since the experience of pain is associated with sympathetic activity. There has been little exploration into the effects of mobilizing vertebral segments below the cervical spine. In addition to this, a synthesis of the evidence for changes in sympathetic outcome measures has not been completed. ⋯ Synthesis of the results established strong evidence (multiple high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for a positive change in skin conductance, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and heart rate among the healthy population. As only one study investigated changes in a symptomatic population, there was limited evidence (one RCT) for an increase in skin conductance and decrease in skin temperature. Evidence from this systematic review supports a sympatho-excitatory response to spinal mobilizations irrespective of the segment mobilized.