Effect of Cervical Spine Manipulative Therapy on Judo Athletes' Grip Strength

• Published in: Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 38 - 44
• Main Authors: Botelho, Marcelo B., DC, Andrade, Bruno B., MD, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 2012
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Athletes; Athletic Performance; Chiropractic; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hand Strength - physiology; Humans; Male; Manipulation, Spinal; Manipulation, Spinal - methods; Martial Arts; Pain Management; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; Single-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; Martial Arts; Chiropractic; Manipulation, Spinal; Athletic Performance
• ISSN: 0161-4754; 1532-6586
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.09.005

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to perform an investigation evaluating if cervical spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) can increase grip strength on judo athletes in a top 10 national-ranked team. Methods A single-blinded, prospective, comparative, pilot, randomized, clinical trial was performed with 18 athletes of both sexes from a judo team currently competing on a national level. The athletes were randomly assigned to 2 groups: chiropractic SMT and sham. Three interventions were performed on each of the athletes at different time points. Force measurements were obtained by a hydraulic dynamometer immediately before and after each intervention at the same period before training up to 3 weeks with at least 36 hours between interventions. Results Analysis of grip strength data revealed a statistically significant increase in strength within the treatment group after the first intervention (6.95% right, 12.61% left) as compared with the second (11.53% right, 17.02% left) and the third interventions (10.53% right, 16.81% left). No statistically significant differences were found in grip strength comparison within the sham group. Overall differences in strength were consistently significant between the study groups ( P = .0025). Conclusion The present study suggests that the grip strength of national level judo athletes receiving chiropractic SMT improved compared to those receiving sham.