• Duarte FCK
• Kolberg C
• Riffel APK
• Souza JA
• Belló-Klein A
• Partata WA

• Affiliation / America Latina College
• Affiliation / Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC). Department of Life Sciences
• Affiliation / Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Institute of Basic Health Science. Department of Physiology
• Affiliation(G) / Brazil / Rio Grande do Sul / Caxias do Sul
• Affiliation(G) / Brazil / Rio Grande do Sul / Porto Alegre
• Affiliation(G) / Canada / Ontario / Toronto
• Hyperalgesia / therapy
• Oxidative Stress
• Peripheral Nerves

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of manually assisted lumbar spinal manipulation therapy on tactile allodynia, peripheral nerve functional recovery, and oxidative markers in rats exposed to knee immobilization-inducing hypersensitivity.

METHODS: Tactile allodynia and sciatic, tibial, and peroneal functional indices were assessed before the knee joint immobilization, 24 hours after the knee cast removal, and 24 hours after 3 weeks of lumbar therapy with the Activator Adjusting Instrument, model 4 (AAI 4). Subsequently, the blood was collected from each rat, and oxidative markers such as lipid hydroperoxide levels; nitric oxide metabolites; and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were assessed.

RESULTS: The AAI 4 improved the immobilization-induced allodynia and recovered the peripheral nerve functional indices impaired after knee immobilization. Immobilized rats treated with AAI 4 therapy presented a lack of significant changes in lipid hydroperoxides and nitric oxide metabolites in the plasma contrasting with rats that were kept freely in their cages, with no therapy applied, which presented elevated lipid hydroperoxides levels. Also, the antioxidant catalase enzymatic activity decreased in the blood of rats immobilized and treated with AAI 4.

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that manually assisted lumbar spinal manipulation therapy modulates systemic oxidative stress, which possibly contributes to the analgesia and recovery of peripheral nerve functionality.

Author keywords: Manipulation, Spinal, Immobilization, Oxidative Stress, Hyperalgesia, Central Nervous System Sensitization

Author affiliations: FCKD: Department of Life Sciences, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. CK: Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; America Latina College, Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil. APKR, JAS, ABK, WAP: Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

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