M.Tech. / The primary focus of this study was to compare different treatment protocols namely Chiropractic Adjustive Therapy of the Sacroiliac Joint, lschaemic Compression of Trigger Points within the Piriformis muscle and Chiropractic Adjustive Therapy of the Sacroiliac Joint combined with lschaemic Compression of Piriformis Trigger Points in the treatment of a dysfunctional Piriformis muscle, to see which of the chosen treatment protocols would be the superior choice in treating the dysfunctional muscle. It was hypothesised that all the chosen treatment protocols would be effective in treating a dysfunctional Piriformis muscle, while it was hoped that the Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy of the Sacroiliac Joint would be the superior choice in treating a dysfunctional Piriformis muscle. Participants were recruited via posters and flyers in and around the University of Johannesburg Campuses. Forty five participants were recruited and randomly divided into three groups (Groupl received Chiropractic Manipulation of the Sacroiliac joint, Group 2 received Chiropractic Manipulation of the Sacroiliac joint combined with lschemic compression of the Piriformis muscle and Group 3 received only lschemic compression of the Piriformis muscle) by drawing a number from a box marked one, two and three for the different treatment protocols. The participants were given a consent and information leaflet which they had to sign and any questions they had were answered to the best of the researcher's ability. All the participants received five treatments and Algometer measurements were taken before and after every treatment and Numerical Pain Rating Scale forms were completed by the participant before treatment one and after treatment five. The results showed a significant decrease in pain perceived by the participants in all the different groups on the Numerical Pain Rating Scale and on the Algometer measurements. When looking at the Numerical Pain Rating Scale Scores the group that received ischaemic compression (Group 2) had the most improvement and when comparing the Algometer Measurements between the groups, the group that received only the Chiropractic Adjustive Therapy of the Sacro-iliac Joints (Group 1) had the best improvement.

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / Problem Statement: Ankle sprains are one of the most common acute injuries treated by physicians (Pellow & Brantingham, 2001). Most ankle sprains involve the lateral ankle ligaments, with the anterior tibiotalar ligament being the most commonly affected in injuries involving plantarflexion and inversion. These injuries often result in restriction of movements that will limit gait (Crosbie, Green, Refshauge, 1999). Even in the event of injury to one ankle, the sensorimotor and postural deficits can be bilateral due to central processing of motor control information (Munna et. al., 2010, Monaghan et. al., 2006). The primary aim of a chiropractic adjustment is to increase joint range of motion (Fryer, Mudge, McLaughlin, 2002) and to correct local joint dysfunction (Pellow & Brantingham, 2001). No prior research has been done using the Zebris FDM-system to analyze changes in gait after ankle adjustment. Method: Sixty participants between the age of 15 and 45 years were recruited. The participants were asked to sign a consent form after which a thorough case history, full physical exam and foot and ankle regional examination were performed. Participants were included in the study if they were of the correct age, had a chronic history of minor ankle sprain and had palpable motion restrictions of ankle joint range of motion. Participants were excluded if they had a history of severe ankle injury or ankle surgery, had any contraindications to chiropractic adjustment or were currently undergoing any other treatment that could interfere with the study, including the use of certain medications. Each participant underwent a gait assessment before and after they received a chiropractic adjustment to the restricted ankle joint. Procedure: Objective measurements were obtained using the Zebris FDM-system before and after participants received one chiropractic adjustment using a long axis distraction technique. The Zebris FDM-system uses capacitive force sensors arranged on a platform in a high density. The measuring plate allows dynamic force distribution to be analysed during gait. The length of the Zebris platform allowed successive footfalls to be captured and measurements taken during three full gait cycles were used in the analysis. All data was processed using the WinFDM program to produce a gait report (Zebris Medical GmbH, 2008) Results: A statistically significant change was seen in the single support line on the non-adjusted side. Changes were measured in the other gait parameters although they were not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study has shown that chiropractic adjustment of the ankle joint has an effect on the path of centre of pressure and foot rotation during gait. It also helps clinicians to see that the adjustment has a bilateral effect. Future studies will be able to determine whether this is a positive or a negative outcome as the limits of normal and pathological gait using these parameters have not yet been set. Chiropractors can treat patients with a history of chronic ankle sprain more effectively if they have a better understanding of residual motion restrictions and movement patterns after acute ankle sprain. A future study including several treatments could be beneficial as clinical chiropractic practice would most likely involve more than one treatment of a patient with a history of ankle sprain. In this way the lasting and accumulative effects of chiropractic adjustment could be measured.

M. Tech. / Cervical Facet Syndrome is a condition characterised by neck pain and decreased mobility of the cervical spine (Bovim et al., 1994). It is essentially the dysfunction of the posterior joints in the neck where muscle hypertonicity causes the ligaments to shorten (Gatterman, 1995). There is a high prevalence of Cervical Facet Syndrome in industrialised countries leading to a loss in productivity and costly expenditure in terms of treatment (Jordan et al., 1998). The aim of this research study was to assess the efficacy of treatment with injectables of the Anthroposophical medicine Disci comp. cum Argento on the symptoms of Cervical Facet Syndrome. These symptoms include pain and a decrease in range of motion. Pain was assessed using two questionnaires, namely the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain (Annexure D) and the Vernon Mior Neck Pain Disability Index (Annexure E). Range of motion was measured using the Cervical Range of Motion Goniometer (Annexure F). This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Thirty participants, male and female between the ages of 18 and 40 who had been pre-diagnosed with Cervical Facet Syndrome were recruited to participate in the research study. The study was conducted over a period of three weeks. On day one, participants were requested to complete a Consent Form (Annexure B), a Participant Profile (Annexure C), and the two questionnaires used to assess pain. Range of motion was measured by the researcher. The group was then randomly divided into two groups with 15 participants per group. The experimental group received subcutaneous injections of Disci comp. cum Argento and the control group received subcutaneous injections of saline. These injections were administered by the researcher and repeated three times a week for two weeks so that each participant received a total of six injections. A final assessment without treatment was completed in the third week. The two questionnaires and range of motion measurements were repeated at the third, sixth and seventh or final assessment. . The results of this study indicated that although both the remedy and placebo groups showed improvements, there was no significant difference in these improvements between the groups for the results obtained for the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain, Vernon Mior Neck Pain Disability Index and measurements of flexion, left rotation and left lateral flexion. There was however, significant differences in improvement between the visits in favour of the remedy group for measurements of extension, right rotation and right lateral flexion.

M.Tech.

M. Tech. / Objective: This study was conducted in order to compare the effectiveness of Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) combined with guided imagery versus only guided imagery in the treatment of chronic neck pain and stiffness. Chiropractic SMT is aimed at treating neck pain as well as increasing the range of motion (ROM) of the neck. Guided imagery is aimed at reducing stress levels within the patient with a secondary effect of reducing tension in the neck muscles. This study therefore also has a secondary purpose to assess the effects of stress on chronic neck pain. It was hypothesised that Chiropractic SMT combined with guided imagery would be more effective in the reduction of chronic neck pain than guided imagery or alone. This is based on the fact that Chiropractic SMT has been exhaustively proven to be effective in treating chronic neck pain as well as increasing cervical range of motion. Guided imagery has also been proven to be effective in reducing stress even though there has not been enough research on its effect on chronic neck pain and cervical range of motion. Methods: Patients were recruited by means of placing advertisements in and around the University of Johannesburg. Patients that presented to the Chiropractic day clinic with chronic neck pain between the ages of 18 and 30 were included in this study. The participants were then randomly placed in one of two groups. Group A received four sessions of Chiropractic SMT combined with two sessions of guided imagery while Group B received two sessions of guided imagery relaxation techniques and four sessions of detuned ultrasound (U/S). The researcher performed all the sessions of Chiropractic SMT and detuned U/S while Dr A. Fourie (a registered Counselling Psychologist) performed the Guided Imagery sessions. In the initial visit patients in both groups had to undergo a history taking, physical examination and cervical spine regional examination. They were required to sign subject information and consent form and complete a Neck Disability Index (NDI) Questionnaire, Numerical Pain Rating Scale and the Stress Questionnaire. The researcher measured their cervical range of motion on the first and last treatments. The objective and subjective data was collected on the first visit and again on the final visit.

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two different treatment methods for myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome of the Gluteus Medius muscle. This was done in order to determine whether or not a combined treatment of the integrated neuromuscular inhibition technique (INIT) and sacroiliacjoint (SU) adjustive therapy was more effective than the INIT applied in isolation, in the treatment of the Gluteus Medius myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome (OMMPDS). Participants were recruited using advertisement posters placed throughout the University of Johannesburg Doomfontcin Campus and were treated at the University of Johannesburg Chiropractic Day Clinic. Thirty participants, between the ages of eighteen and fifty years, who were suffering from lower back pain and presented with Gluteus Medius rnyofascial trigger points (Trl's) and an SIJ dysfunction were selected for the study. They wcre randomly assigned into one of two groups, consisting of fifteen subjects each. as they entered into thestudy. Group one received the INIT to the affected Gluteus Medius muscle. Group two received a combination of the INIT to the affected Gluteus Medius muscle and an SIJ adjustment. Patients attended four sessions over a period ofeight days and were treated on all of these sessions. Subjective and objective data were recorded on all sessions. Subjective data was recorded using the McGill Pain Questionnaire and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale. Objective data was recorded using the Universal Goniometer, to measure hip ranges of motion of the affected Gluteus Medius muscle, and the Wagner Pressure Algometer to measure pain-pressure threshold of the affected Gluteus Medius muscle Trl's, All of the data were statistically analyzed using Repeated Measures and Independent t-Tcsts, P-values were calculated to determine the statistical significance of the datu. The results of the study indicate that both treatment methods nrc effective in treating GMMPDS. However a combined treatment approach of INIT and SIJ adjustive therapy was more effective in achieving a greater therapeutic response compared to INIT alone.

A dissertation presented in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 2000. / The absence of tested theory has resulted in a continued variation in protocols for the treatment of mechanical low back pain. This study was designed in order to determine the relative effectiveness of spinal manipulation versus spinal manipulation in conjunction with a low back strapping in the treatment of mechanical low back pain in the phase of dysfunction. / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Diploma in Technology: Chiropractic, Natal Technikon, 1997. / The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the Gonstead Listing System as a reliable indicator of the direction in which to adjust the sacroiliac joint in subjects with sacroiliac joint dysfunction, in terms of their subjective and objective clinical findings. The hypothesis is that the direction of manipulation is clinically insignificant in causing a decrease in the subject's clinical findings. This information is necessary in order for chiropractors to formulate a more cost-effective treatment protocol for their patients. / M

Dexterous manipulation operations using robotic or prosthetic fingers is seemingly facilitated with enhanced tactile feedback. Using a combination of artificial sensors and actuators, a tactile feedback system that conveys tactual information (force, pressure, & temperature) from an artificial fingertip to the user’s hand is developed and tested with subjects. Results reveal that subjects are capable of distinguishing specific actuators with a high degree of accuracy. The sensor density and actuator fidelity of the feedback system is insufficient to yield performance equal to that of a human’s natural tactile senses. Future studies are recommended to identify optimal tactile feedback sites as well as to discover a more robust system to be used in robotic and immersive virtual reality contexts.

In this thesis, I defend compatibilism from all manipulation arguments. Manipulation arguments are supported by control cases. These cases purport to be counter-examples to all plausible current compatibilist conditions on moral responsibility. Some compatibilists – historicists – have argued that manipulation arguments can be undermined by endorsing the view that an individual’s moral responsibility for her actions is, in some sense, sensitive to her history. In Part One, I first argue that historicism is without motivation and is untenable. I then sketch a form of compatibilism – the structural-narrative view. This view differs from standard compatibilist accounts because it not only makes clear the synchronic ‘ownership’ (the free will or control condition), but also the diachronic ‘ownership’ conditions (normally taken to be personal identity) on moral responsibility. Both conditions have a narrative component, which I draw from narrative views of personal identity. These conditions insulate my structural-narrative from the manipulation arguments that motivate historicism, thereby providing compatibilists with a tenable alternative to historicism. In Part Two, I argue that the remaining manipulation arguments do not show that compatibilism is false. I first clarify the structure of manipulation arguments. In particular I argue that compatibilists ought to focus their efforts on showing that the control cases that support manipulation arguments are not in fact counter-examples to the compatibilist conditions on moral responsibility. I then distinguish two types of control case: threatening and unthreatening. I argue that the remaining threatening control cases only seem to be counter-examples because of ambiguities in their descriptions that result in us misidentifying the locus of moral responsibility in those cases; once these ambiguities are clarified, the non-responsibility judgement elicited by those cases soon dissipates. I then present three related to arguments to support the claim that unthreatening cases are not counter-examples the compatibilist conditions on moral responsibility; hence I conclude that manipulation arguments do not show that compatibilism is false.