Abstract

Objective: Determine the capacity of inertial sensors as a tool for the study of the kinematics of cervical spine manipulation on an anatomical model and study the inter- and inter-therapists reliability and within non-dominant and dominant hand. Material and methods: A cross sectional, analytic study was performed. Placing an inertial sensor on the frontal bone of the head, the manipulations were analyzed in the cervical motion segment C5-C6 during three repetitions on the left side and then to the right, carried out by two experienced therapists. Results: All of the dimensional parameters recorded in the same therapist during the three repetitions showed good consistency with the ICC values from 0.808 to 0.928, this not occurring for the reliability values between the hands of the same therapist or therapists with ICC values from 0.123 to 0.742. The average displacement of the rotation during manipulation from the pre-manipulative position was 18 degrees (95% CI: 11-26). Conclusion: Inertial sensors show capacity to study the kinematics of cervical spinal manipulation. These devices have a potential added value as real time feedback after studying the graphic representation of the premanipulation and manipulative phases. On an anatomical model, intra-therapist reliability is good, however, that of the inter-therapist and within hands of the therapist is low.