Movement Performance in Persons With Chronic Back Pain

In the present study, a short examination of the whole spine and pelvic area will be performed to identify those segments with the highest restricted range of motion compared to other parts. A standard HVLA manipulation of this area is applied, which refers to Maitland grade 5.

In the present study, the participant will, after short warming up, perform three standard exercises aiming to increase the possibility for a person with back pain to control the full range of spinal, pelvis and hip joints (Exercise 1) to increase the motor control and coordination of the muscles controlling the low back, pelvis and hip joints in flexion and rotation (Exercise 2), and to increase the motor control of muscles controlling the low back, pelvis and hip joints in extension (Exercise 3).

"In the present study, the procedure will follow the study of Carvalho, et al. (2016).28 The researcher explains clearly in a positive way to the participants that i) a placebo effect can be powerful, ii) the body can automatically respond to taking placebo pills like Pavlov's dogs that salivated when they heard a clock, iii) that a positive attitude can be helpful, but is not necessary, and iiii) the researcher shows a short video clip (1 minute 25 seconds) of a news report, where participants in an OLP study are interviewed on the positive effects they experienced (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp14Lhl0T9). Thereafter, the participants are asked to take two pills, containing the inactive substance microcrystalline cellulose from a container clearly labeled with placebo."