The response of paraspinal cutaneous pain tolerance levels to spinal manipulation has not been studied in an experimental model. This paper proposes such a model of pain tolerance measurement and describes the results of a controlled study of 50 assymptomatic subjects. The group receiving a spinal manipulation demonstrated a 140% increase in local cutaneous pain tolerance levels which was statistically significant (p less than 0.05). This is consistent with previous hypotheses regarding the mode of action of manipulation in the relief of spinal pain.