Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 38 leaves, Annexures 1-2 / Background: Various congenital spinal anomalies are common findings in the general population. Their clinical significance is controversial with no definitive association been made between any specific congenital spinal anomaly to any clinical features. Project Design: This research study was designed in the form of a quantitative, non-experimental, empirical clinical survey. Method: Data was obtained from thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs contained in the Chiropractic Day Clinic at the Durban University of Technology from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2005 and from the corresponding patient files. Through the research procedure, 519 thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs were located in the confines of the Chiropractic Day Clinic. Due to the exclusion criteria of a past or present history of trauma to the thoracic or lumbar spine areas, 147 radiographs were excluded. Objectives 1.To determine the period prevalence (1 January 1997 – 31 December 2005) of congenital thoracic and lumbar spine anomalies. 2.To determine if there is any association between the presenting clinical features and the congenital thoracic and lumbar spine anomalies in general. 3.To determine if there is any association between the presenting clinical features and individual congenital thoracic and lumbar spine anomalies. 4.To compare subjects presenting clinical features with reported clinical features from literature.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007. / Background: Various congenital spinal anomalies are common findings in the general population. Their clinical significance is controversial with no definitive association been made between any specific congenital spinal anomaly to any clinical features. Project Design: This research study was designed in the form of a quantitative, non-experimental, empirical clinical survey. Method: Data was obtained from thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs contained in the Chiropractic Day Clinic at the Durban University of Technology from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2005 and from the corresponding patient files. Through the research procedure, 519 thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs were located in the confines of the Chiropractic Day Clinic. Due to the exclusion criteria of a past or present history of trauma to the thoracic or lumbar spine areas, 147 radiographs were excluded. Objectives 1.To determine the period prevalence (1 January 1997 – 31 December 2005) of congenital thoracic and lumbar spine anomalies. 2.To determine if there is any association between the presenting clinical features and the congenital thoracic and lumbar spine anomalies in general. 3.To determine if there is any association between the presenting clinical features and individual congenital thoracic and lumbar spine anomalies. 4.To compare subjects presenting clinical features with reported clinical features from literature. / M

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / Mid-back pain (mbp) is defined as pain occurring within the limits of the third thoracic (T3) and ninth thoracic (T9) vertebrae, caused by the dysfunction of the musculoskeletal structures in the thoracic spine. It can present as pain and/ burning between the shoulder blades with reduced thoracic spine mobility and increased muscle tension. Congenital disorders such as scoliosis and Scheuermann’s disease, or acquired disorders such as thoracic facet and costovertebral joint dysfunction may cause mbp. The thoracic facet and costovertebral joints are similar in anatomy and share a mutually dependent biomechanical relationship. There were a handful of controlled studies that highlighted the effectiveness of thoracic facet manipulation on mbp, but there were none on the effects of costovertebral manipulation on mbp. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of the combination of thoracic facet and costovertebral joint manipulation on mbp in terms of pain perception, pressure pain thresholds (PPT) and thoracic spine range of motion (ROM). Design A prospective single-blind randomised comparative clinical trial. Setting This study was conducted in a university setting at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic Participants Fifty participants were recruited via responses to advertisements placed around the Durban University of Technology (DUT) campuses and individuals presenting at the Chiropractic Day Clinic (CDC). Intervention The participants were divided into two groups of twenty-five. Group A received the thoracic facet joint manipulations and Group B received a combination of the thoracic facet and costovertebral joint manipulations. Outcome measures All subjective and objective measurements were taken before and after the application of the manipulations. Pain perception i.e. subjective measurement) was measured by the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), pressure pain thresholds (PPT) (i.e. objective measurement) were measured by the Wagner’s FDK Force Gage Algometer and thoracic spine range of motion (ROM) i.e. objective measurement was measured by the Saunders Digital Inclinometer. Results The data was analyzed using the latest version of SPSS and a p-value = 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Descriptive statistics in the form of univariate analysis described the data in terms of measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion. Data that was distributed normally was analyzed using the t-test and ANOVA. Data that was distributed abnormally was analyzed using the non-parametric Wilcoxon ranked and Mann Whitney tests. Nominal and ordinal data was analyzed using the Chi squared test. The results of the intra-group analysis indicated a statistically significant decrease in pain perception (p ≤ 0.000), increase in PPT (p ≤ 0.05) and decrease in thoracic spine ROM (p ≤ 0.000). However, the results for the inter-group analysis indicate there was no statistically significant difference in pain perception (p = 0.386), PPT (p > 0.05) and thoracic spine ROM (p >0.05) between Group A and Group B. Conclusions These results showed that the combination of thoracic facet and costovertebral joint manipulation was as effective as thoracic facet joint manipulation alone, in the treatment of mbp. These findings suggested that manipulation of the costovertebral joints may not be necessary for the effective treatment of mbp. / M

Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction-Groin injuries are among the top six most cited injuries in soccer and account for 10-18 per cent of all injuries reported in contact sport. Groin pain can result from a variety of pathologies, but according to literature, 63 per cent of groin pain is due to adductor pathology. Objective-The objective of this study was to explore if there are kinematic differences in the hip joint in sports participants with groin pain compared to matched healthy controls. Study design A cross sectional, descriptive study was conducted. Study setting-The study was conducted at the FNB -3D motion analysis laboratory at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Outcome variables-The dependent variables included hip kinematics in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes at foot strike, lowest vertical point of the pelvis and total range of hip motion during a single leg drop landing. Methodology-The study sample comprised 20 male club level soccer-and, rugby players, running and cycling participants between the ages of 18-55 years of age. Ten of the subjects had chronic groin pain and the other ten were healthy matched controls. An eight-camera Vicon system was used to analyse the kinematics of the hip joint during single leg drop landing. For the purpose of comparison, the data was analysed for participants with unilateral groin pain and matched controls (n=14) and participants with bilateral groin pain and controls (n=6). The full set of data was subdivided for analysis into three distinct sub-groups. Unilaterally injured groin cases (n=7) were matched with seven healthy controls for analysis. Bilaterally injured groin cases (n=3) were matched with three healthy controls. Results-Cases with unilateral groin pain at initial contact had significantly more abduction of the hip joint when compared to controls (p<0.05). The effect size of this difference was large (0.94). Cases with unilateral groin pain also demonstrated greater hip internal rotation while the controls had external rotation (p<0.05) during a drop landing activity. Bilaterally injured groin cases landed with significantly (p=?) greater ranges of hip flexion as well as in significantly (p=?) more hip abduction during a drop landing activity. They also demonstrated greater total range of motion in the frontal plan when compared to controls. Groin pain cases overall demonstrated greater ranges of motion and tended to land in more abduction compared to controls. Conclusion-This study found that during a single leg drop landing, sports participants with unilateral chronic groin pain landed with significantly greater hip abduction and exhibited larger total range of motion in the transverse plane, which may indicate impaired stability of the hip complex when compared to controls. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding-Liesbeserings is een van die top ses mees prominente sokker beserings. Dit beloop 10-18 persent van alle beserings wat in kontaksport aangemeld word. Liespyn kan die gevolg wees van ‘n verskeidenheid patologië, maar volgens die literatuur is 63 persent van liespyn as gevolg adduktor patologie. Doelwitte-Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel of daar enige kinematiese veranderinge in die heupgewrig is in spelers met liespyn in vergelyking met dieselfde vergelykbare spelers sonder liespyn. Studie Ontwerp-‘n Deursnit, beskrywende studie was onderneem. Studie Omgewing-Die studie was uitgevoer by die FNB-3D bewegingsanalise laboratorium van die Stellenbosch Universiteit, Suid-Afrika. Uitkomsveranderlikes-Die afhanklike veranderlikes het in gesluit die heup kinematika in die sagitale, frontale en transvers vlakke met voet kontak endie laagste vertikale punt van die pelvis sowel as die totale heup omvang van beweging gedurende een been landing. Metodologie-Die studie populasie het bestaan uit 20 manlike sokker- en, rugbyspelers, hardlopers en fietsryers tussen die ouderdomme van 18 en 55 jaar. Tien van die deelnemers het kroniese liespyn gehad en die ander tien in die gelyke gesonde groep was sonder liespyn. Die agt kamera Vicon sisteem was gebruik om die kinematika van die heupgewrig te analseer tydens een been landing. Vir die doel om ‘n vergelyking te kan maak, was die data geanaliseer van deelnemers met unilaterale liespyn en die vergelykende groep sonder liespyn (n=14) en deelnemers met bilaterale liespyn en hulle vergelykende groep sonder liespyn (n=6).. Die volledige stel data was onderverdeel in drie afsonderlike sub groepe. Vir die analiese was unilaterale liesbeserings (n=7) vergelyk met sewe deelnemers sonder liespyn in die kontrolegroep. Deelnemers met bilaterale liesbeserings (n=3) was vergelyk met drie in die kontrolegroep. Resultate-Die deelnemers met unilaterale liespyn het met eerste kontak beduidend meer abduksie van die heupgewrig gehad in vergelyking met die kontrolegroep (p<0.05). Die effek van hierdie verskil was groot (0.94). Die deelnemers met unilaterale liespyn het ook ‘n grooter interne rotasie getoon, terwyl die kontrole groep meer eksterne rotasie gedemonstreer het (p<0.05) met landing. Deelnemers met bilaterale liespyn het beduidend (p=?) meer heup fleksie en abduksie omvang van beweging tydens landing. Hulle het ook ‘n groter totale heup omvang van beweging in die frontale vlak gehad in vergelyking met die kontrolegroep. Deelnemers met liespyn het oor die algemeen ‘n grooter omvang van beweging getoon, en was geneig om met meer abduksie van die heup te land as die kontrolegroep. Gevolgtrekking-Die studie toon dat deelnemers met kroniese unilaterale liespyn, tydens een been landing, beduidende meerheup abduksie toon en dat die heup in die transverse vlak meer totale omvang van beweging gebruik wat kan dui op onstabiliteit in die heupkompleks in vergelyking met die kontrolegroep.