Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24421609›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of manual & manipulative therapy2013

A pilot study to investigate the short-term effects of specific soft tissue massage on upper cervical movement impairment in patients with cervicogenic headache.

Diana Hopper, Yogita Bajaj, Chor Kei Choi, Osama Jan, Toby Hall, Kim Robinson, Kathy Briffa

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Trial
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Diana HopperSchool of Physiotherapy and Curtin Health Innovation Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Yogita BajajSchool of Physiotherapy and Curtin Health Innovation Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Chor Kei ChoiSchool of Physiotherapy and Curtin Health Innovation Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Osama JanSchool of Physiotherapy and Curtin Health Innovation Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Toby HallSchool of Physiotherapy and Curtin Health Innovation Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Kim RobinsonSchool of Physiotherapy and Curtin Health Innovation Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Kathy BriffaSchool of Physiotherapy and Curtin Health Innovation Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Curtin University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesUpper cervical movement impairment and muscle dysfunction have been identified as core components of cervicogenic headache (CGH) pathogenesis. The purpose of this single-group pre-post test pilot study was to investigate the short-term effects of a specific soft tissue massage (SSTM) intervention to the cervical spine on range of upper cervical motion.

methodsEight subjects (mean age 28.1 years) with published criteria of CGH (mean history of headache for 7.1 years) were investigated. Range of rotation of the upper cervical spine to the left and right was determined by the flexion-rotation test. Movement was assessed in three phases: pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention. The SSTM intervention consisted of an 8-minute soft tissue massage to the cervical muscles bilaterally.

resultsPre-intervention measures of flexion-rotation test range of motion prior to the intervention over two assessment points were consistent. In contrast, a repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant improvement in range of rotation to the left and right after the first (P<0.01), second (P<0.01), but not third intervention (P = 0.19), from an average range of 27.5° at baseline to 45.9° at the third treatment session. After the 2-week post-intervention phase, range of motion remained stable without decline, and was considered full range. DISCUSSION: This pilot study provides preliminary evidence of the potential for SSTM to improve, at least in the short-term, upper cervical range of motion in people with CGH.

Indexed as

Cervical movement impairmentCervicogenic headacheFlexion–rotation testMassage

Identifiers

PMID24421609
PMCPMC3578191
OpenAlexW2131573540

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.