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Effect of Spinal Manipulation of Upper Cervical Vertebrae on Blood Pressure: Results of a Pilot Sham-Controlled Trial.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Goertz, CM; Salsbury, SA; Vining, RD; Long, CR; Pohlman, KA; Weeks, WB; Lamas, GA
Published in: J Manipulative Physiol Ther
June 2016

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this pilot sham-controlled clinical trial was to estimate the treatment effect and safety of toggle recoil spinal manipulation for blood pressure management. METHODS: Fifty-one participants with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension (systolic blood pressure ranging from 135 to 159 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ranging from 85 to 99 mm Hg) were allocated by an adaptive design to 2 treatments: toggle recoil spinal manipulation or a sham procedure. Participants were seen by a doctor of chiropractic twice weekly for 6 weeks and remained on their antihypertensive medications, as prescribed, throughout the trial. Blood pressure was assessed at baseline and after study visits 1, 6 (week 3), and 12 (week 6), with the primary end point at week 6. Analysis of covariance was used to compare mean blood pressure changes from baseline between groups at each end point, controlling for sex, age, body mass index, and baseline blood pressure. RESULTS: Adjusted mean change from baseline to week 6 was greater in the sham group (systolic, -4.2 mm Hg; diastolic, -1.6 mm Hg) than in the spinal manipulation group (systolic, 0.6 mm Hg; diastolic, 0.7 mm Hg), but the difference was not statistically significant. No serious and few adverse events were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Six weeks of toggle recoil spinal manipulation did not lower systolic or diastolic blood pressure when compared with a sham procedure. No serious adverse events from either treatment were reported. Our results do not support a larger clinical trial. Further research to understand the potential mechanisms of action involving upper cervical manipulation on blood pressure is warranted before additional clinical investigations are conducted.

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Published In

J Manipulative Physiol Ther

DOI

EISSN

1532-6586

Publication Date

June 2016

Volume

39

Issue

5

Start / End Page

369 / 380

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Pilot Projects
  • Orthopedics
  • Manipulation, Spinal
  • Male
  • Hypertension
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Cervical Vertebrae
  • Blood Pressure
 

Citation

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Goertz, C. M., Salsbury, S. A., Vining, R. D., Long, C. R., Pohlman, K. A., Weeks, W. B., & Lamas, G. A. (2016). Effect of Spinal Manipulation of Upper Cervical Vertebrae on Blood Pressure: Results of a Pilot Sham-Controlled Trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 39(5), 369–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.04.002
Goertz, Christine M., Stacie A. Salsbury, Robert D. Vining, Cynthia R. Long, Katherine A. Pohlman, William B. Weeks, and Gervasio A. Lamas. “Effect of Spinal Manipulation of Upper Cervical Vertebrae on Blood Pressure: Results of a Pilot Sham-Controlled Trial.J Manipulative Physiol Ther 39, no. 5 (June 2016): 369–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.04.002.
Goertz CM, Salsbury SA, Vining RD, Long CR, Pohlman KA, Weeks WB, et al. Effect of Spinal Manipulation of Upper Cervical Vertebrae on Blood Pressure: Results of a Pilot Sham-Controlled Trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2016 Jun;39(5):369–80.
Goertz, Christine M., et al. “Effect of Spinal Manipulation of Upper Cervical Vertebrae on Blood Pressure: Results of a Pilot Sham-Controlled Trial.J Manipulative Physiol Ther, vol. 39, no. 5, June 2016, pp. 369–80. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.04.002.
Goertz CM, Salsbury SA, Vining RD, Long CR, Pohlman KA, Weeks WB, Lamas GA. Effect of Spinal Manipulation of Upper Cervical Vertebrae on Blood Pressure: Results of a Pilot Sham-Controlled Trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2016 Jun;39(5):369–380.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Manipulative Physiol Ther

DOI

EISSN

1532-6586

Publication Date

June 2016

Volume

39

Issue

5

Start / End Page

369 / 380

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Pilot Projects
  • Orthopedics
  • Manipulation, Spinal
  • Male
  • Hypertension
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Cervical Vertebrae
  • Blood Pressure