Thesis (M.S.)--Western Washington University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-85). Also issued online.

Thesis (M.S.)-- Springfield College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)-- Springfield College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / Chronic lower back pain (LBP) is considered as one of the most prevalent conditions in our society with 70-85% of the population experiencing pain at some point in their lives and 80% having recurrent episodes. The majority of chronic LBP is treated with conservative care, with spinal manipulation being a treatment modality shown to be beneficial resulting in restoration of normal ranges of movement, decrease of muscle spasm and there is an overall biomechanical change. One of the more modern trends is combining manipulation with taping. It has been shown that with the application of Kinesio tape to the lumbar para-spinal muscles effectively increases lumbar range of motion and decreases pain with the relaxation of tense muscles as well as increase in proprioception as the tape increasingly stimulates cutaneous mechanoreceptors. Elastic bandage has been shown to improve proprioceptive acuity as it stimulates cutaneous mechanoreceptors, as well as providing support to joint structure. The purpose of this study was to determine the superiority of one tape versus the other as well as the efficacy of the individual tape and whether the combination treatment of spinal manipulative therapy and taping of the lumbar paraspinal muscles are possibly a more effective treatment protocol in the treatment of chronic lower back pain. Method: This clinical study was a comparative study and consisted of two groups of fifteen participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The participants were between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years of age. Group 1 was treated with lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint adjustments and the application of Kinesio tape􀂥. Group 2 was treated with lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint adjustments and the application of elastic bandage. Treatment took place over a period of three weeks and participants were treated six times out of a total of seven consultations. Procedure: Subjective data was recorded at the first and fourth consultation prior to treatment and on the seventh consultation by means of a Numerical Pain Rating Scale and an Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire to assess pain and disability. Objective data was recorded at the first and fourth consultation prior to treatment and on the seventh consultation by means of a digital inclinometer for assessing lumbar spine range of motion. Data recorded was analyzed by a statistician. Results: Clinically and statistically significant improvements were noted in both groups over the course of the study with regards to pain, disability and lumbar spine range of motion. Conclusion: The results show that both combination treatments of spinal manipulative therapy and the application of Kinesio™ tape or elastic adhesive bandage are effective treatment protocols, both clinical and statistical in decreasing pain, disability and improving lumbar range of motion in patients with chronic lower back pain. However neither treatment protocols proved to be superior over the other.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / The lifetime incidence of low back pain is between 48% to 79% in South Africa. Globally, chronic Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome occurs in 13% to 63% of the world’s population. Therefore, chronic Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome is a significant health problem that has the potential to have a major impact on quality of life. Chronic Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome is described as an alteration in normal motion or mechanics. The Sacroiliac Joint fibrous capsule contributes to proprioceptive and nociceptive output, which may be exacerbated when the joint is in a dysfunctional state. Chronic Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome may be effectively treated by spinal manipulative therapy. Spinal manipulative therapy is professed to have four therapeutic effects – mechanical correction, pain reducing effects, circulatory increase and neurobiologic effects. Similarly, Kinesio Tex® Tape therapy is professed to have comparable therapeutic effects – circulatory increase, pain reduction and stimulation of proprioceptive systems. Spinal manipulative therapy and Kinesio Tex® Tape therapy may, therefore, have similar therapeutic effects which, if used in adjunction, may produce enhanced therapeutic effects and accelerated results regarding reduction of symptoms in patients with chronic Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome. This investigation aimed to determine whether Kinesio ® Taping methods would have any relative effect on the Sacroiliac Joint, and whether it would be appropriate to use as an adjunct to spinal manipulative therapy in the treatment of chronic Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome. The study was a prospective stratified clinical trial with three intervention groups, twenty participants in each (n = 60). All participants were 18-50 years of age and suffering from chronic Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome. Subjective measurements included the Numerical Rating Scale and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index. Objective measurements included the Algometer Scores. Numerical Rating Scale and Algometer measurements were taken before and immediately after treatment at the first consultation and at the second consultation. Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index measurements were taken at the first and second consultation. Group One underwent spinal manipulative therapy alone, Group Two underwent Kinesio Tex® Tape therapy alone and Group Three underwent both spinal manipulative therapy and Kinesio Tex® Tape therapy in combination. Comparisons were made using the Unpaired and Paired t-tests. The results for the Inter-group analyses suggested that most comparisons were statistically insignificant (p ≥ 0.05) which indicated that all treatment groups appeared to improve to a similar degree. The results for the Intra-group analyses suggested that most comparisons were statistically significant (p < 0.05) which indicated that Kinesio Tex® Tape therapy was effective as an adjunct to spinal manipulative therapy, however not statistically more or less effective that spinal manipulative therapy or Kinesio Tex® Tape therapy alone. In conclusion, it was found that some differences did occur, however these differences were not sufficient enough to conclude that one treatment was more effective than the other. Further research with a larger sample size, more frequent treatments and follow-ups, a more homogenous stratification of age, ethnic group, gender, side of diagnosis and categorizing participant occupation is needed in order for the power of the study to be amplified and, therefore, any results would carry more weight.

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / Chronic lower back pain is a very common condition affecting 60-80% of the worlds’ population at sometime in their lives. Manual therapy, including chiropractic manipulation, has been proven to be very successful in the treatment of chronic lower back pain and reduction in muscle tension. Although chiropractic treatment alone is effective in the treatment of chronic lower back pain, chiropractors often search for adjunctive modalities to enhance the positive outcomes of their treatment. Kinesio® tape application to the lumbar para-spinal muscles has been proven to be effective in increasing lumbar range of motion and in decreasing lower back pain. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the combination of Chiropractic manipulation and Kinesio® taping of the lumbar para-spinals is a more efficient, and possibly effective, treatment protocol in the treatment of chronic lower back pain. Method: This study was a comparative study and consisted of three groups of ten participants. The participants were between the ages of eighteen and forty years of age, with a male to female ration of 1:1. The potential participants were examined and accepted according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Group 1 received chiropractic manipulative therapy to the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints. Group 2 only received the application of Kinesio® tape to the lumbar para-spinal muscles. Group 3 was the combination group, and received chiropractic manipulative therapy to the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints together with the application of Kinesio® tape to the lumbar para-spinal muscles. Subjective measurements consisted of the Numerical Pain Rating Scale and the Oswestry Pain and Disability Index and objective measurements was range of motion of the lumbar spine. Procedure: Treatment consisted of seven consultations over a three week period. Objective and subjective readings were taken at the beginning of the first, fourth and seventh consultations before treatment. Subjective readings were taken from the Numerical Pain Rating scale and the Oswestry Pain and Disability index.Objective Readings were taken from measurements taken from the Digital Inclinometer device measuring lumbar range of motion. At the first to sixth consultation participants each received their groups’ specific treatment protocol, the seventh consultation consisted of data collection only.

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

Athletic trainers frequently are required to design rehabilitation and treatment programs for injured athletes. These treatment programs oftentimes involve the use of cryotherapy or ankle taping to create an optimal environment for healing. The purpose of this study was to identify the individual and simultaneous effects of ankle taping and cryotherapy on mechanical power and velocity.Sixteen (16) Division IA Baseball players (Age 20.53+/- 1.15 yrs, Wt 878.45+/105.68 N, Ht 1.85+/- 0.087 m) served as subjects for this study. Subjects met the following criteria: 1) all were asymptomatic from any lower extremity injury for at least six months prior to testing. 2) none had any known cold allergy (ie. hives, hypersensitivity to cold).This study utilized a counterbalanced repeated measures design, in which subjects participated in three treatments, cryotherapy, ankle taping and a combination treatment of cryotherapy and ankle taping. For the taping treatment, each subject was taped using a standard closed basket weave technique` with porous 1.5" cloth athletic tape (Johnson and Johnson, Coach). The cryotherapy treatment was administered a 20 minute ice immersion treatment at 10 deg Celsius to the leg and ankle. In the combination treatment, both treatments were administered with the ice immersion preceding ankle taping. The effects of these treatments on mechanical power and velocity were measured by a Kistler amplifier and force plate platform during a one leg standing vertical jump.The two-way repeated measures ANOVA's for power and velocity showed no significant interaction between cryotherapy, taping or combination treatment. However, significant pre-post treatment effects for power were discovered after cryotherapy and combination treatment. As a result of these findings, it is evident that immediate return to participation after cryotherapy or combination treatment will lead to decreases in muscular performance or injury. / School of Physical Education

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.