M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / This unblinded, controlled pilot study was conducted in order to compare the effectiveness of chiropractic manipulative therapy with that of a combined therapy involving chiropractic manipulative therapy and myofascial trigger point therapy (dry needling technique and passive stretching), in the treatment of chronic mechanical posterior cervical spine pain. In executing the comparison, it was hypothesised that both treatment protocols would be effective, but that the combined therapy would be the most effective for the treatment of chronic mechanical posterior cervical spine pain, as this treatment protocol has equal emphasis on both the osseous and soft tissue structures. It was hoped that this combined therapy would be more effective in terms of a more speedy recovery and long term effect. This would not only benefit the patient from the point of view of health and quality of life, but financially as well, as less consultation fees would have to be paid. Patients wererecruited into the study by the use of advertisements in newspapers and posters, or from patients entering the Technikon Witwatersrand Chiropractic Day Clinic complaining of posterior cervical spine pain. Only those thirty patients who conformed to the specified delimitations and diagnostic criteria were accepted. These patients were randomly placed into two groups of fifteen patients each. One group received chiropractic manipulative therapy and the other group received the combined therapy. Each patient received twelve treatments over a one month period, ie. three treatments per week. After the treatment period there was a month break from treatment and a follow-up consultation at the end ofthis month. This follow-up period was used to determine the lasting effects of the treatment protocol. The subjective data was collected with the use of two questionnaires, the Neck Pain and Disability Index (Vemon Mior) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Further subjective data was collected, in the form of the number of fixations found in the cervical spine by the use of motion palpation and active myofascial trigger points found in the specified areas of the Trapezius and Levator Scapulae muscles. The objective data was obtained from the...
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:3638 |
| Date | 05 February 2014 |
| Creators | McLean, Nicola Suzanne |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Johannesburg |
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