Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Diploma in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 1994. / The objective of this research was to determine whether there was any reasonable biomechanical evidence to support the chiropractic theory that a positive (anterior) or negative (posterior) x-axis rotation of the innominate bone, could result in a significant functional leg length inequality. This theory was advocated by winterstein J.F. 1991, Gatterman M.I. 1990 and Herbst R.W. (undated) ~ The object was achieved by clamping six fresh cadaveric pelves in a specially designed instrument which measured the positive (anterior) and negative (posterior) x-axis rotation of the innominate via the sacroiliac joint and the symphysis pubis, the forces involved, and the associated y-axis translation, zaxis translation and x-axis rotation of the roof of the acetabulum. The extra-capsular iliac tubercle was used as the axis of rotation due to easy palpation and identification of this point. Some authors placed the axis at this point, or at a point very close to this area, ( Bakland o. et al. 1984; Weisle H. 1955; Bernard T.N. et al. 1991; Bellamy N. et al. 1983) . The results were tabulated, and thereafter a Pearson's moment correlation coefficient was done to show the linearity of the results. Graphs were then drawn to depict this linearity graphically. Finally a mean of the differences for each set of results of each cadaver was done to show how the results of each cadaver compared. The results showed that a positive (anterior) and a negative (posterior) x-axis rotation of the innominate caused a functional lengthening and shortening of the lower limb respectively. These findings concur with those of winterstein J.F. 1991, Gatterman M.I. 1990 and Herbst R.W. (undated) The maximum amount of lower limb lengthening varied between 11.75 millimetres and 6.17 millimetres among different cadavers, when 9 degrees of anterior innominate rotation was induced. The maximum amount of lower limb shortening varied between 10.58 millimetres and 6.16 millimetres among different cadavers when 9 degrees of posterior innominate rotation was induced. This 9 degrees of rotation was via both sacroiliac joints, thus effectively allowing 4,5 degrees of rotation per sacroiliac joint. / M

Dissertation submitted in the partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 1996. / The aim of this investigation was to determine the relative efficacy of two approaches to adjusting for facet syndrome in the cervical spine. It was hypothesised that by adjusting the top segment of a primary fixation in the direction of the restriction, as well as the bottom segment in the opposite direction, there would be a significantly greater improvement than by only adjusting the top segment of a primary fixation in the direction of restriction. Thirty subjects, diagnosed as having cervical facet syndrome, were randomly divided into two treatment groups, each consisting of fifteen patients. The first treatment group received a single adjustment in the direction of the restriction only. The second treatment group had a bilateral adjustment: the top segment of the fixation in the direction of the restriction as well as the bottom segment in the opposite direction. Soft tissue therapy was used in both treatment groups as a preadjustment procedure. The research project was carried out where both groups received a maximum of eight treatments over a minimum of four weeks. After a follow-up period of a month the patients were re-assessed. Measurements of the cervical spine ranges of motion with the CROM goniometer and the completion of the Numerical Rating Scale 101, CMCC Neck Disability Index and the McGill Short Form questionnaires were performed before the first, fourth and final treatments as well as at the month fa IIowup consultation. / M

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 1998. / The purpose of this clinical trial is to evaluate the relative effectiveness of intermittent percussion versus dry needling in patients with low back pain of quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius myofascial origin, in terms of objective and subjective clinical findings. The objective of the study is to evaluate if either of the two treatments are effective and which of the two has the greater effect. This randomized comparative clinical trial consisted of a sample size of thirty patients, all suffering from low back pain of quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius myofascial origin. Patients were obtained by consecutive sampling, whereby, any patient presenting to the Technikon Natal Chiropractic Day Clinic suffering from low back pain was carefully assessed. Only patients that conformed to the strict inclusion criteria were accepted into the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of fifteen patients each. Group A received dry needling and Group B received intermittent percussion performed on all the active trigger points of the quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius muscles. Each patient received five treatments over a four week period, followed by are-evaluation consultation one month after the last treatment to determine the long term effects of the treatments. Objective data was collected using the goniometer (BROM II) and the algometer (Wagner Force Dial FDK 20) while subjective data was collected from three questionnaires: the Numerical Rating Scale 101, the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. Data was collected at the beginning of the initial the final and the follow-up consultation / M

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for a Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2002. / Functional and pathological joint disorders are distinguished diagnostically through orthopaedic and functional assessment tests. Motion palpation is the procedure used to assess functional status of a joint. The methods used to validate this tool are inter- and intraexaminer reliabilty studies. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra- and interexaminer reliabilty of motion palpation of the patella. This randomised, single-blinded, prospective clinical reliability study included 50 chiropractic students, limited to first, second and third years due to subject naivety. Motion palpation of both patellae was assessed twice, one week apart, by four different examiners. The examiners were senior interns at the Durban Institute of Technology Chiropractic Faculty. Each had an assistant that recorded their motion palpation findings. Statistical analysis was completed under the supervision of Mr K. Thomas at Durban Institute of Technology. The results were analysed using non-parametric statistical tests such as Pearson's Chi-Square, McNemar's Test and Cohen's Kappa co-effecients. / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirement for a Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 1999. / The aim of this investigation was to establish the prevalence of cervical spm e dysfunction in tension-type headache subjects, as opposed to nonheadache subj ects, in terms of specific objective clinical criteria. The researcher postulated that in order to alleviate a tension-type headache, adequate attention should be grve n to the treatment of hypothesised that there would, firstly, be a difference in the prevalence of cervical spine dysfunction in tension-type headache as opposed to nonheadache subjects, in terms of objective clinical find i ngs, and second ly, a di fferen ce int he 0 bj ecti ve fi nd ings on analysis of the intra-group data after treatment, would confirm that these components of cervical spine dysfunction, in tensiontype headache patients, could be corrected using manipulation. Fourty subjects were diagnosed as having tension-type headaches and fourty nonheadache subjects were assessed to see if they fell into the nonheadache group. From the headache group, twenty subjects were randomly recruited to a treatment group. The subjects ages were selected from the general population and were aged between 18 and 44. The treatment group received eh i ropractic adju stment( s) after light soft ti ssue therapy for 6 treatments over a period of 3 weeks. / M

A thesis presented in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 2001. / Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is a clinical syndrome of soft tissue pain arising from skeletal muscle. It is manifested by characteristic trigger points (TrPs) in palpable taut bands of muscle fibres with typical referred pain patterns, restricted range of motion and local twitch responses. Treatment of MPS appears to be aimed at disrupting the reverberating neural circuits responsible for the self-perpetuation of the pain-spasm pain cycle. This occurs through inactivating the active TrP through releasing the taut bands with various techniques including massage, ischaemie compression, spray and stretch, ultrasound, hydrocollator moist heat, trigger point injection, dry needling, and TENS. There are many treatments available yet little research substantiating efficiency of one specific therapy over another, with the result that choice of treatment often becomes based on personal preferences rather than clinical evidence. Among many authors, dry needling has been shown to be an effective form of treatment. The therapeutic effect of dry needling relies on the mechanical disruption or direct stimulation of the TrP and that the strongest analgesic effect is achieved when the most painful spot is precisely reached with a fme needle, normally an acupuncture needle. This immediate analgesia produced by needle puncture of a TrP has been termed the / M

M.Tech.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 1998. / The aim of this investigation was to determine which of two manipulative approaches would prove to be the more effective in terms of increased cervical range of motion and pain relief in the treatment of cervical facet syndrome. The rational for this study was the observation that whenever a supine lateral break was delivered to a lateral fixation in the cervical spine, the adjustment resulted in pain and discomfort due to the sub-optimal mechanics of the facets on the side of contact (Lewis, Jones, Penter: Personal Interview 1996; Bergman ]993 : 232). Thus, because up to 70% of a chiropractors patient base can present with cervical facet syndrome (Jones, Penter: Personal Interview 1996), there was a need to find a manipulative method that would be effective in the treatment of cervical facet syndrome in terms of increased cervical range of motion and pain relief It was hypothesized that by giving a rotatory adjustment on the ipsilateral side of a lateral fixation or a supine lateral break on the contra-lateral side of a lateral fixation, both treatments would be effective for cervical facet syndrome. The rationale being that by delivering these adjustments in the above described procedure, there would be an increase in the facet joint space as opposed to a decrease in the facet joint space which occurs when a lateral break adjustment is delivered on the same side of the lateral break. However, it was proposed in terms of subjective and objective findings, that the rotatory adjustment would be more effective than the supine lateral break / M

M.Tech.

M.Tech.