Vertebral Artery Volume Flow: No Change with Rotation or Spinal Manipulation

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Vertebral Artery Volume Flow: No Change with Rotation or Spinal Manipulation

The vertebral artery is a source of great interest to chiropractors because of its intimate relationship with the cervical vertebrae and because of concern of cerebrovascular complications following spinal manipulation. Previous studies have quantified blood flow velocity, but few, if any, have investigated vertebral artery volume flow during cervical rotation.

To remedy this deficiency, a study involving 20 students utilized advanced color-coded duplex sonography to assess volume flow through the right vertebral artery. Measurements were taken in the neutral position, during 45° of rotation and at maximal rotation. Subjects were then randomized to a control group or a group that received spinal manipulation of a biomechanical dysfunction of the cervical spine, and volume blood flow was again measured, 3, 10 and 15 minutes after the intervention.
Results: Sonogram analysis revealed no significant difference in volume blood flow with cervical rotation or spinal manipulation, despite changes in flow velocity.
Licht PB, Christensen HW, Hoilund-Carlson PF. Vertebral artery flow in human beings. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, July/August 1999:22(6), pp363-367.
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