OBJECTIVE: To check the acute effect of the thoracic joint manipulation and the placebo manipulation on the subjective pain and range of movement in subjects with non specific chronic low back pain, and check if there is difference in pain and range of movement with the application of the two techniques. METHODS: 16 females and males subjects in physical therapy treatment were randomly assigned in two groups: experimental group, that had receive the joint manipulation in the middle of thoracic; and the placebo group, the one which did not had the application of the technique, they just heard a noise that was produced by the therapist. Before and after the manipulation, it was measured pain, through the visual analogue scale, and the range of movement, through the distance between the middle finger tip and floor method, during trunk flexion with the knees extended. It was a double blinded study. RESULTS: It was not found any significant difference between two groups before and after the manipulation for subjective pain (p = 0.13), and for range of movement (p = 0.80). CONCLUSION: The thoracic manipulation in patients with chronic low back pain did not produce any significative relive of the subjective pain and gain in range of movement when compared with the placebo treatment.

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