PLoS One 2024 (Mar 29); 19 (3): e0300737

Table 2. Mean ± SD outcome measures of CSM, TSM and CPT groups.

Variable Time CSM TSM CPT

CgH Frequency
(no of days
per 4 weeks) Baseline 16.8 ± 1.8 17.2 ± 1.9 17.4 ± 1.7

4 weeks 11.2 ± 1.4 14.1 ± 1.6 15.8 ± 1.4

8 weeks 6.2 ± 0.9 9.5 ± 0.9 13.4 ± 1.1

6 months 2.9 ± 0.5 6.1 ± 0.7 10.8 ± 1.1

CgH Pain intensity
(0–10) Baseline 7.2 ± 0.8 6.8 ± 0.7 7.1 ± 0.7

4 weeks 4.1 ± 0.5 5.2 ± 0.5 6.2 ± 0.5

8 weeks 2.8 ± 0.4 4.1 ± 0.4 5.1 ± 0.4

6 months 0.8 ± 0.2 1.7 ± 0.3 3.7 ± 0.4

CgH Disability Baseline 57.88 ± 6.5 57.21 ± 6.8 56.91 ± 5.9

4 weeks 45.73 ± 5.5 49.38 ± 5.6 52.38 ± 5.3

8 weeks 36.41 ± 4.3 41.73 ± 5.1 49.67 ± 4.5

6 months 31.19 ± 3.8 39.54 ± 4.5 48.37 ± 4.1

Neck pain frequency
(no of days
per 4 weeks) Baseline 23.9 ± 3.2 23.6 ± 3.4 22.9 ± 3.6

4 weeks 15.8 ± 2.2 18.5 ± 2.4 20.4 ± 2.3

8 weeks 9.3 ± 1.6 12.3 ± 1.8 18.2 ± 1.5

6 months 3.4 ± 0.4 8.2 ± 0.9 16.1 ± 1.5

Neck pain intensity
(0–10) Baseline 7.2 ± 0.6 7.1 ± 0.6 6.9 ± 0.5

4 weeks 4.8 ± 0.5 6.2 ± 0.6 6.1 ± 0.5

8 weeks 2.6 ± 0.4 4.2 ± 0.5 5.1 ± 0.4

6 months 0.6 ± 0.2 1.9 ± 0.4 3.7 ± 0.4

Neck pain threshold Baseline 262.1 ± 21.6 261.3 ± 22.3 262.7 ± 22.5

4 weeks 268.5 ± 20.2 266.3 ± 21.8 263.5 ± 21.6

8 weeks 274.5 ± 18.3 272.4 ± 19.4 267.8 ± 19.6

6 months 288.2 ± 17.3 278.3 ± 18.2 269.5 ± 17.3

Flexon rotation test (Right side) Baseline 25.18 ± 7.4 25.12 ± 7.3 26.01 ± 7.2

4 weeks 31.76 ± 6.3 30.19 ± 6.3 27.12 ± 6.5

8 weeks 39.73 ± 5.6 35.16 ± 5.4 31.42 ± 6.1

6 months 45.21 ± 5.3 38.22 ± 5.1 32.31 ± 5.8

Flexon rotation test (Left side) Baseline 24.93 ± 6.2 24.72 ± 6.1 24.88 ± 6.3

4 weeks 33.12 ± 5.9 27.93 ± 5.9 26.63 ± 5.8

8 weeks 37.81 ± 5.2 32.53 ± 5.5 29.92 ± 5.1

6 months 44.23 ± 5.1 36.23 ± 5.1 31.92 ± 4.9

Neck Disability Index
(0–100 with 100 worst) Baseline 51.01 ± 11.1 51.25 ± 10.8 50.97 ± 11.2

4 weeks 37.36 ± 9.2 43.34 ± 9.8 45.32 ± 10.2

8 weeks 24.83 ± 6.1 31.32 ± 6.2 38.53 ± 6.9

6 months 11.28 ± 3.4 23.56 ± 5.4 34.92 ± 6.3

Quality of life (EQ-5D)
(0–100 with 100 best) Baseline 24.9 ± 4.5 25.1 ± 3.9 24.8 ± 4.2

4 weeks 48.3 ± 4.8 36.3 ± 4.8 34.9 ± 4.3

8 weeks 64.5 ± 5.5 55.3 ± 5.1 40.1 ± 4.6

6 months 79.2 ± 6.2 62.4 ± 5.9 46.7 ± 4.9

CSM = Cervical spine manipulation,
TSM = Thoracic spine manipulation,
CPT = Conventional physiotherapy,
CgH–Cervicogenic Headache.


Variable	Time	CSM	TSM	CPT

CgH Frequency (no of days per 4 weeks)	Baseline	16.8 ± 1.8	17.2 ± 1.9	17.4 ± 1.7
	4 weeks	11.2 ± 1.4	14.1 ± 1.6	15.8 ± 1.4
	8 weeks	6.2 ± 0.9	9.5 ± 0.9	13.4 ± 1.1
	6 months	2.9 ± 0.5	6.1 ± 0.7	10.8 ± 1.1

CgH Pain intensity (0–10)	Baseline	7.2 ± 0.8	6.8 ± 0.7	7.1 ± 0.7
	4 weeks	4.1 ± 0.5	5.2 ± 0.5	6.2 ± 0.5
	8 weeks	2.8 ± 0.4	4.1 ± 0.4	5.1 ± 0.4
	6 months	0.8 ± 0.2	1.7 ± 0.3	3.7 ± 0.4

CgH Disability	Baseline	57.88 ± 6.5	57.21 ± 6.8	56.91 ± 5.9
	4 weeks	45.73 ± 5.5	49.38 ± 5.6	52.38 ± 5.3
	8 weeks	36.41 ± 4.3	41.73 ± 5.1	49.67 ± 4.5
	6 months	31.19 ± 3.8	39.54 ± 4.5	48.37 ± 4.1

Neck pain frequency (no of days per 4 weeks)	Baseline	23.9 ± 3.2	23.6 ± 3.4	22.9 ± 3.6
	4 weeks	15.8 ± 2.2	18.5 ± 2.4	20.4 ± 2.3
	8 weeks	9.3 ± 1.6	12.3 ± 1.8	18.2 ± 1.5
	6 months	3.4 ± 0.4	8.2 ± 0.9	16.1 ± 1.5

Neck pain intensity (0–10)	Baseline	7.2 ± 0.6	7.1 ± 0.6	6.9 ± 0.5
	4 weeks	4.8 ± 0.5	6.2 ± 0.6	6.1 ± 0.5
	8 weeks	2.6 ± 0.4	4.2 ± 0.5	5.1 ± 0.4
	6 months	0.6 ± 0.2	1.9 ± 0.4	3.7 ± 0.4

Neck pain threshold	Baseline	262.1 ± 21.6	261.3 ± 22.3	262.7 ± 22.5
	4 weeks	268.5 ± 20.2	266.3 ± 21.8	263.5 ± 21.6
	8 weeks	274.5 ± 18.3	272.4 ± 19.4	267.8 ± 19.6
	6 months	288.2 ± 17.3	278.3 ± 18.2	269.5 ± 17.3

Flexon rotation test (Right side)	Baseline	25.18 ± 7.4	25.12 ± 7.3	26.01 ± 7.2
	4 weeks	31.76 ± 6.3	30.19 ± 6.3	27.12 ± 6.5
	8 weeks	39.73 ± 5.6	35.16 ± 5.4	31.42 ± 6.1
	6 months	45.21 ± 5.3	38.22 ± 5.1	32.31 ± 5.8

Flexon rotation test (Left side)	Baseline	24.93 ± 6.2	24.72 ± 6.1	24.88 ± 6.3
	4 weeks	33.12 ± 5.9	27.93 ± 5.9	26.63 ± 5.8
	8 weeks	37.81 ± 5.2	32.53 ± 5.5	29.92 ± 5.1
	6 months	44.23 ± 5.1	36.23 ± 5.1	31.92 ± 4.9

Neck Disability Index (0–100 with 100 worst)	Baseline	51.01 ± 11.1	51.25 ± 10.8	50.97 ± 11.2
	4 weeks	37.36 ± 9.2	43.34 ± 9.8	45.32 ± 10.2
	8 weeks	24.83 ± 6.1	31.32 ± 6.2	38.53 ± 6.9
	6 months	11.28 ± 3.4	23.56 ± 5.4	34.92 ± 6.3

Quality of life (EQ-5D) (0–100 with 100 best)	Baseline	24.9 ± 4.5	25.1 ± 3.9	24.8 ± 4.2
	4 weeks	48.3 ± 4.8	36.3 ± 4.8	34.9 ± 4.3
	8 weeks	64.5 ± 5.5	55.3 ± 5.1	40.1 ± 4.6
	6 months	79.2 ± 6.2	62.4 ± 5.9	46.7 ± 4.9