Normalizing Cervical Intersegmental Kinematics With Spinal Manipulative Therapy

"SMT will be provided by a licensed chiropractor with at least 5 years' experience.~Treatment will last 15 to 20 minutes each and include a brief history and examination of the cervical spine. SMT will consist of low velocity, variable amplitude spinal mobilization to the cervical spine - Maitland grades 3 or 4. Spinal segments will be determined by the chiropractor using manual palpation and the patients' response to care. Drop-table or instrument-assisted SMT will not be allowed."

Light Massage will be provided as a pseudo-sham intervention to control for time, attention, and touch by a licensed chiropractor with at least 5 years' experience to control for touch and is intended to be delivered gentler and shorter than recommended for therapeutic massage.