Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics
-
J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Sep 2012
Chiropractic use, health care expenditures, and health outcomes for rural and nonrural individuals with arthritis.
Arthritis is considered the leading cause of disability among adults in the United States today and contributes substantially to the rising cost of health care. Residents of rural areas are especially affected. The purposes of this article are to describe chiropractic use by rural and nonrural individuals with arthritis and to identify differences in other health care use and health status by those using chiropractic care plus conventional care or conventional care alone. ⋯ Differences in chiropractic use were observed between rural and nonrural individuals with arthritis. More studies are needed to investigate these differences and the impact on health care use and expenditures and outcomes of individuals with arthritis.
-
J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Sep 2012
Predictors of improvement in patients with acute and chronic low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment.
The purpose of this study was to investigate outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with acute or chronic low back pain (LBP) undergoing chiropractic treatment. ⋯ Patients with chronic and acute pain reporting that they were "much better" or "better" on the Patient Global Impression of Change scale at 1 week after the first chiropractic visit were 4 to 5 times more likely to be improved at both 1 and 3 months compared with patients who were not improved at 1 week. Patients with acute pain reported more severe pain and disability initially but recovered faster. Patients with chronic and acute back pain both reported good outcomes, and most patients with radiculopathy also improved.
-
J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Sep 2012
EditorialChiropractic care and public health: answering difficult questions about safety, care through the lifespan, and community action.
The purpose of this collaborative summary is to document current chiropractic involvement in the public health movement, reflect on social ecological levels of influence as a profession, and summarize the relationship of chiropractic to the current public health topics of: safety, health issues through the lifespan, and effective participation in community health issues. The questions that are addressed include: Is spinal manipulative therapy for neck and low-back pain a public health problem? What is the role of chiropractic care in prevention or reduction of musculoskeletal injuries in children? What ways can doctors of chiropractic stay updated on evidence-based information about vaccines and immunization throughout the lifespan? Can smoking cessation be a prevention strategy for back pain? Does chiropractic have relevance within the VA Health Care System for chronic pain and comorbid disorders? How can chiropractic use cognitive behavioral therapy to address chronic low back pain as a public health problem? What opportunities exist for doctors of chiropractic to more effectively serve the aging population? What is the role of ethics and the contribution of the chiropractic profession to public health? What public health roles can chiropractic interns perform for underserved communities in a collaborative environment? Can the chiropractic profession contribute to community health? What opportunities do doctors of chiropractic have to be involved in health care reform in the areas of prevention and public health? What role do citizen-doctors of chiropractic have in organizing community action on health-related matters? How can our future chiropractic graduates become socially responsible agents of change?
-
J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Jul 2012
Response of pain intensity to soft tissue mobilization and neurodynamic technique: a series of 18 patients with chronic carpal tunnel syndrome.
The purpose of this prospective case series was to examine the combined effects of soft tissue mobilization and nerve slider neurodynamic technique on pain and pressure sensitivity in women with chronic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). ⋯ The application of soft tissue mobilization and neurodynamic technique decreased the intensity of pain but did not change pressure pain sensitivity in this group of women with chronic CTS.
-
J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Jul 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyChanges in pressure pain thresholds and Basal electromyographic activity after instrument-assisted spinal manipulative therapy in asymptomatic participants: a randomized, controlled trial.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of instrument-assisted spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) targeted to the low-back region on changes in pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and basal electromyographic activity (BEA) in asymptomatic participants. ⋯ The application of instrument-assisted SMT resulted in an immediate and widespread hypoalgesic effect with local muscle relaxation in asymptomatic participants. It is hypothesized that therapeutic mechanisms, either segmental or central, may be involved in the therapeutic effects of instrument-assisted SMT.