Aims: The primary physiotherapeutic aims of the study were to validate a
manual physiotherapy evaluation technique in the assessment of cervical
biomechanical dysfunction, and to test the effectiveness of a manual physiotherapy
treatment technique in the correction of cervical biomechanical dysfunction. The
primary educational aims were to test the effectiveness and safety of a therapeutic
exercise programme for the correction of biomechanical dysfunction as well as the
effectiveness of a neck rehabilitation programme for improving neck muscle
strength.
Design: A four group experimental design with three pre-test - post-test groups
and a control group was used for the investigation.
Sample: The subjects were South African schoolboy rugby players between the
ages of 15 and 18 years. Groups I and 2 presented with biomechanical dysfunction of
their cervical spines, Group 3 had no biomechanical dysfunction of their cervical
spines and the players of Group 4, the control group, presented with or without
biomechanical dysfunction of their cervical spines. Each group consisted of 25
players.
Method: Group I received manual physiotherapy with x-rays before and after
treatment. Groups 2 and 3 performed a therapeutic exercise programme, with before
and after x-rays, and Group 4 received no intervention between their sets of x-rays.
Following the second set of x-rays all the players from Groups I, 2 and 3 performed
the neck rehabilitation programme after which a third set of x-rays were taken.
Results: The results validated the manual physiotherapy evaluation technique.
The manual therapy treatment technique used in the treatment of Group I showed
highly significant improvements in cervical biomechanical function. Results for
Group 2 following the therapeutic exercise programme showed moderate practically
significant improvements in cervical biomechanical dysfunction. The therapeutic
exercise programme for the correction of biomechanical dysfunction was found to be
very safe with only small significant changes in x-ray measurements (Group 3). The
results of the control group showed a negative trend of small statistical significance. A
highly significant improvement in cervical circumference as moderate significant
improvement in biomechanical function was found following the neck rehabilitation
programme.
Conclusion: It could therefore be concluded that the manual physiotherapy
evaluation technique for motion segment analysis was indeed valid in determining
biomechanical dysfunction of the cervical spine. The manual physiotherapy treatment
technique as well as the therapeutic exercise programme for the correction of
biomechanical dysfunction was found to be effective in the correction of cervical
biomechanical dysfunction. It could further be concluded that the therapeutic exercise
programme was safe to be performed by players without biomechanical dysfunction.
The neck rehabilitation programme was effective in improving cervical circumference
as well as cervical biomechanical function. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/688 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Steyn, Linda |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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