Spinal Manipulation For Low-Back Pain: Key Points
Spinal Manipulation For Low-Back Pain: Key Points
Spinal Manipulation For Low-Back Pain: Key Points
Key Points
Evidence indicates that spinal manipulation can provide mild
to-moderate relief from low-back pain. It appears to be as
effective as conventional treatments, and recent guidelines for
health care practitioners include it as a treatment option for pain
that does not improve with self-care.
In the United States, spinal manipulation is often performed as part of chiropractic care.
Chiropractic is a health care approach that focuses on the relationship between the body’s
structure—mainly the spine—and its functioning. In chiropractic, spinal manipulation is
sometimes called “adjustment.” Back problems are the most common reason people seek
chiropractic care. (For background information on chiropractic, see the fact sheet
Chiropractic: An Introduction.)
Overall, studies have shown that spinal manipulation can provide mild-to-moderate relief
from low-back pain and appears to be as effective as conventional medical treatments. In 2007
guidelines, the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society include spinal
manipulation as one of several treatment options for practitioners to consider using when pain
does not improve with self-care.
Research is under way to determine whether the effects of spinal manipulation depend on the
duration and frequency of treatment. Recent studies have found that spinal manipulation
provides relief from low-back pain at least over the short term (i.e., up to 3 months), and that
pain-relieving effects may continue for up to 1 year. In one study funded by the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) that examines long-term effects
in more than 600 people with low-back pain, results to date suggest that chiropractic care
involving spinal manipulation is at least as effective as conventional medical care for up to 18
months. However, less than 20 percent of participants in this study were pain free at 18
months, regardless of the type of treatment used.
When considering the evidence on spinal manipulation for low-back pain, it is important to
know about the research behind the evidence. Although many clinical trials have been
conducted, earlier trials tended to be small and poorly designed, making their findings less
reliable. Moreover, studies have differed in focus (the specific type of back pain treated and
form of manipulation used) and design (comparisons with other treatments vs. placebos). It
can be difficult to clearly interpret findings when what is being measured varies widely from
one study to the next. Recent research has begun to address these issues.
2
Reviews have concluded that spinal manipulation is relatively safe when performed by a
trained and licensed practitioner. The most common side effects are generally minor and
include temporary discomfort in the treated area, headache, or tiredness. These effects usually
go away in 1 to 2 days.
Serious Complications
The rate of serious complications from spinal manipulation, although not definitely known,
appears to be very low overall. A potential complication from low-back manipulation is cauda
equina syndrome, a condition in which nerves in the lower part of the spinal cord become
compressed, resulting in pain, weakness, and loss of feeling in one or both legs. Other
functions—such as bowel or bladder control—may also be affected. Reports indicate that cauda
equina syndrome is an extremely rare complication. In people whose pain is caused by a
herniated disc, manipulation of the low back also appears to have a very low chance of either
causing or worsening cauda equina syndrome.
NCCAM Research
Projects supported by NCCAM to study spinal manipulation for low-back pain include studies of:
The optimal number and frequency of treatments, and the duration of care
Estimated use, costs, and outcomes of chiropractic care for recurrent back pain
What happens in the body during manipulation of the low back.
Definitions
Chiropractic: A whole medical system that focuses on the relationship between the body’s
structure—mainly the spine—and function. Practitioners perform adjustments (also called
manipulation) with the goal of correcting structural alignment problems to assist the body
in healing.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): A group of diverse medical and health care
systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional
medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and
alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.
Manipulation: The application of controlled force to a joint, moving it beyond the normal
range of motion in an effort to aid in restoring health. Manipulation may be performed as
a part of other therapies or whole medical systems, including chiropractic, massage,
and naturopathy.
3
References
Assendelft WJ, Morton SC, Yu EI, et al. Spinal manipulative therapy for low back pain. Annals of Internal Medicine.
2003;138(11):871-881.
Barnes PM, Powell-Griner E, McFann K, Nahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United
States, 2002. CDC Advance Data Report #343. 2004.
Bronfort G, Haas M, Evans R, et al. Evidence-informed management of chronic low back pain with spinal manipulation
and mobilization. Spine Journal. 2008;8(1):213-225.
Bronfort G, Haas M, Evans RL, et al. Efficacy of spinal manipulation and mobilization for low back pain and neck pain: a
systematic review and best evidence synthesis. Spine Journal. 2004;4(3):335-356.
Cagnie B, Vinck E, Beernaert A, et al. How common are side effects of spinal manipulation and can these side effects be
predicted? Manual Therapy. 2004;9(3):151-156.
Cambron JA, Gudavalli MR, Hedeker D, et al. One-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial comparing flexion
distraction with an exercise program for chronic low-back pain. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
2006;12(7):659-668.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health, United States, 2006. Hyattsville, MD: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention; 2006. Publication no. 2007-1232. Accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm on March 27, 2008.
Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Deyo RA, et al. A review of the evidence for the effectiveness, safety, and cost of
acupuncture, massage therapy, and spinal manipulation for back pain. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2003;138(11):898-906.
Chou R, Huffman LH. Nonpharmacologic therapies for acute and chronic low-back pain: a review of the evidence for
and American Pain Society/American College of Physicians clinical practice guideline. Annals of Internal Medicine.
2007;147(7):492-504.
Chou R, Qaseem A, Snow V, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of low-back pain: a joint clinical practice guideline from the
American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2007;147(7):478-491.
Coulter ID, Hurwitz EL, Adams AH, et al. Patients using chiropractors in North America: who are they, and why are
they in chiropractic care? Spine. 2002;27(3):291-296.
Ferreira ML, Ferreira PH, Latimer J, et al. Comparison of general exercise, motor control exercise and spinal
manipulative therapy for chronic low back pain: a randomized trial. Pain. 2007;131(1-2):31-37.
Ferreira ML, Ferreira PH, Latimer J, et al. Efficacy of spinal manipulative therapy for low back pain of less than 3
months’ duration. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2003;26(9):593-601.
Gudavalli MR, Cambron JA, McGregor M, et al. A randomized clinical trial and subgroup analysis to compare flexion-
distraction with active exercise for chronic low back pain. European Spine Journal. 2006;15(7):1070-1082.
Haldeman S, Kohlbeck FJ, McGregor M. Stroke, cerebral artery dissection, and cervical spine manipulation therapy.
Journal of Neurology. 2002;249(8):1098-1104.
Hoiriis KT, Pfleger B, McDuffie FC, et al. A randomized clinical trial comparing chiropractic adjustments to muscle
relaxants for subacute low back pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2004;27(6):388-398.
Hurwitz EL, Morgenstern H, Kominski GF, et al. A randomized trial of chiropractic and medical care for patients with
low back pain: eighteen-month follow-up outcomes from the UCLA low back pain study. Spine. 2006;31(6):611-621.
Kaptchuk TJ, Eisenberg DM. Chiropractic: origins, controversies, and contributions. Archives of Internal Medicine.
1998;158(20):2215-2224.
Kinkade S. Evaluation and treatment of acute low back pain. American Family Physician. 2007;75(8):1181-1188.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders. Handout on Health: Back Pain. Bethesda, MD:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders; 2005. NIH publication no. 05-5282. Accessed at
http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/back_pain/default.asp on March 27, 2008.
Oliphant D. Safety of spinal manipulation in the treatment of lumbar disk herniations: a systematic review and risk
assessment. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2004;27(3):197-210.
Santilli V, Beghi E, Finucci S. Chiropractic manipulation in the treatment of acute back pain and sciatica with disc protrusion:
a randomized double-blind clinical trial of active and simulated spinal manipulations. The Spine Journal. 2006;6(2):131-137.
Senstad O, Leboeuf-Yde C, Borchgrevink C. Frequency and characteristics of side effects of spinal manipulative
therapy. Spine. 1997;22(4):435-440.
Tindle HA, Davis RB, Phillips RS, and Eisenberg DM. Trends in use of complementary and alternative medicine by US
adults: 1997-2002. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2005;11(1):42-49.
van Tulder MW, Koes B, Malmivaara A. Outcome of non-invasive treatment modalities on back pain: an evidence-
based review. European Spine Journal. 2006;15(suppl 1):S64-S81.
4
The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on CAM and NCCAM, including publications
and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does
not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.
NIAMS supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal
and skin diseases; the training of scientists; and the sharing of research-based information.
PubMed ®
A service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), PubMed contains publication information
and (in most cases) brief summaries of articles from scientific and medical journals. CAM on
PubMed, developed jointly by NCCAM and NLM, is a subset of the PubMed system and focuses
ClinicalTrials.gov
ClinicalTrials.gov is a database of information on federally and privately supported clinical
trials (research studies in people) for a wide range of diseases and conditions. It is sponsored
by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Web site: www.clinicaltrials.gov
CRISP (Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects)
CRISP is a database of information on federally funded scientific and medical research projects
being conducted at research institutions.
Acknowledgments
NCCAM thanks the following people for their technical expertise and review of this
publication: Gert Bronfort, D.C., Ph.D., Northwestern Health Sciences University; William
Meeker, D.C., M.P.H., Palmer College-West; and Partap Khalsa, D.C., Ph.D., NCCAM.
5
Duplication is encouraged.
NCCAM has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute
for the medical expertise and advice of your primary health care provider. We encourage
you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. The
mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCAM.
D409
Created April 2008
Updated April 2009
*D409*