A dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, 2007. / To establish the profile of the typical patient presenting to private chiropractors in South Africa, in terms of: demographic data; characteristics of the presenting complaint; the knowledge levels of patients on the scope of chiropractic; the diagnosis of the patients; to compare this primary data to existing data from similar international studies. / M

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 84, 10 leaves / To establish the profile of the typical patient presenting to private chiropractors in South Africa, in terms of: demographic data; characteristics of the presenting complaint; the knowledge levels of patients on the scope of chiropractic; the diagnosis of the patients; to compare this primary data to existing data from similar international studies.

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for a Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007. / To determine the prevalence and demographics of lumbo-sacral cases recorded at the D.U.T Chiropractic Day Clinic from 13th January 1995 to 30th November 2005. To identify the aetiology, common lumbo-sacral diagnoses, associated signs and symptoms, management and contra-indications to chiropractic treatment recorded on the initial consultation of patients with lumbo-sacral complaints. / M

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 61 leaves, Annexures A-E, 1-5 / Research is more than merely an academic exercise. It is a key ingredient in establishing chiropractic’s role in an evolving health care system (Dallas, 1997). Very little is known about the changes in the chiropractic patient population over time (Hartvigsen et al. 2003). Despite the widespread use of chiropractic, good descriptive data on chiropractors and their patients are limited (Coulter and Shekelle, 2005). Few studies have been reported which deal specifically with patients attending chiropractic teaching clinics (Nyiendo and Olsen, 1988). A teaching clinic is an outpatient clinic that provides health care for patients, as opposed to inpatients treated in a hospital. Teaching clinics are traditionally operated by educational institutes and provide free or low-cost services to patients (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaching_clinic). In April 1994 the chiropractic day clinic was officially opened at the former Technikon Natal (now the Durban University of Technology). Thousands of patients have been treated at this clinic over this twelve year period. In 1994, Elga Renate Drews, conducted research aimed at identifying characteristics of chiropractic patients and their complaints at the chiropractic teaching clinic at Technikon Natal and private practices in South Africa. This survey was conducted from February 1994 to the end of April 1994. 162 Patients were involved in this study. A survey was completed which included the patient’s age, gender, occupation, presenting condition, duration of complaint, previous treatment, referral, severity, quality of pain and their disability. A comparison was made between patients seen in private practice and at the teaching clinic. It was found that generally both populations were very similar, with the exception of the patients’ age and occupation. No other research investigating patient characteristics has been undertaken at Durban University of Technology chiropractic day clinic after 1994. Furthermore, in the study conducted by Drews no mention was made of the type of treatment that was given to patients either in private practice or at the teaching clinic. Although the first successful chiropractic adjustment recorded was in the thoracic spine by Dr. D.D. Palmer, research since then has focused on the lumbar spine (Di Fabio, 1992). In reviewing literature relating to the thoracic spine, it is apparent that in comparison to the cervical and lumbar regions, the thoracic spine has been neglected (Edmonston and Singer, 1997). In South Africa there remains a paucity of information on the types of thoracic conditions chiropractors treat and the management protocols. The present research aimed to shed light on this aspect by collecting data from one of only two chiropractic teaching clinics in South Africa, namely the Durban University of Technology chiropractic day clinic. The purpose of this research was to investigate the age, gender, occupation (whether of a sedentary or non-sedentary nature), prevalence of pain, presenting complaints, common conditions treated and common management protocols of patients who presented with thoracic pain to the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xiii, 77, Annexures 1-19, 19 leaves / The increasing contribution of chiropractors in health care has generated greater interest in understanding the characteristics of chiropractic practice patterns and treatments (Mootz et al., 2005). However, despite the rapid growth and extensive use of chiropractic, good descriptive data on chiropractors and their patients remains limited (Coulter and Shekelle, 2005). Even fewer studies have been reported which deal specifically with patients attending chiropractic-teaching clinics (Nyiendo and Olsen, 1988). According to Nyiendo and Haldeman (1986), there remains a paucity of empirical data regarding the type of patients seeking care at a chiropractic-teaching clinic and the types of treatments provided at these clinics. According to Till and Till (2000), South Africa is largely a developing country with scattered developed communities. Its requirements and opportunities as they relate to chiropractic may differ significantly from those in other developed countries. It was also estimated that in South Africa only a fraction of the country’s population have any notion of what chiropractic is, thus the largest challenge lies with educating the public about chiropractic (http://www.chiroweb.com, 2005). The lack of attention given to the chiropractic management of extremity conditions has contributed to a perception that chiropractic is unable to manage extremity conditions proficiently (Hoskins et al., 2006). There is a noted lack of research on the management of extremity conditions within chiropractic (Hoskins et al., 2006); therefore the current study focused on all components of the extremity system. Objectives: The purpose of this research is to conduct a descriptive study of extremity cases on record at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic from 1995 to 2005 and the objectives are as follows: •To determine the prevalence of extremity complaints over the past decade at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic. •To identify the demographics of patients that visited the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic. •To identify the most common presenting region and complaints of the extremity system as well as the aetiology and associated signs and symptoms of these complaints at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic. •To identify the nature of the interventions and methods most commonly used in the management of patients at the initial consult and where possible contra-indications to any treatment modality

Thesis (M.Tech.:Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xiii, 76, 13 leaves / To determine the prevalence and demographics of lumbo-sacral cases recorded at the D.U.T Chiropractic Day Clinic from 13th January 1995 to 30th November 2005. To identify the aetiology, common lumbo-sacral diagnoses, associated signs and symptoms, management and contra-indications to chiropractic treatment recorded on the initial consultation of patients with lumbo-sacral complaints.

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for a Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007. / The increasing contribution of chiropractors in health care has generated greater interest in understanding the characteristics of chiropractic practice patterns and treatments (Mootz et al., 2005). However, despite the rapid growth and extensive use of chiropractic, good descriptive data on chiropractors and their patients remains limited (Coulter and Shekelle, 2005). Even fewer studies have been reported which deal specifically with patients attending chiropractic-teaching clinics (Nyiendo and Olsen, 1988). According to Nyiendo and Haldeman (1986), there remains a paucity of empirical data regarding the type of patients seeking care at a chiropractic-teaching clinic and the types of treatments provided at these clinics. According to Till and Till (2000), South Africa is largely a developing country with scattered developed communities. Its requirements and opportunities as they relate to chiropractic may differ significantly from those in other developed countries. It was also estimated that in South Africa only a fraction of the country’s population have any notion of what chiropractic is, thus the largest challenge lies with educating the public about chiropractic (http://www.chiroweb.com, 2005). The lack of attention given to the chiropractic management of extremity conditions has contributed to a perception that chiropractic is unable to manage extremity conditions proficiently (Hoskins et al., 2006). There is a noted lack of research on the management of extremity conditions within chiropractic (Hoskins et al., 2006); therefore the current study focused on all components of the extremity system. Objectives: The purpose of this research is to conduct a descriptive study of extremity cases on record at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic from 1995 to 2005 and the objectives are as follows: •To determine the prevalence of extremity complaints over the past decade at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic. •To identify the demographics of patients that visited the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic. •To identify the most common presenting region and complaints of the extremity system as well as the aetiology and associated signs and symptoms of these complaints at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic. •To identify the nature of the interventions and methods most commonly used in the management of patients at the initial consult and where possible contra-indications to any treatment modality / M

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xii, 72, Annexures 1-10, [19] leaves / The purpose of this research was to conduct a descriptive study of cervical cases recorded at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic from 1995 to 2005 as there is a paucity of information on the recorded cases of neck pain in South Africa.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xii, 72, Annexures 1-10, [19] leaves / The purpose of this research was to conduct a descriptive study of cervical cases recorded at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic from 1995 to 2005 as there is a paucity of information on the recorded cases of neck pain in South Africa.