Study Design: A retrospective study of patient records.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if a statistically significant difference in symptomatic improvement existed between patients in two groups with different amount of initial corrections in cervical misalignment, as shown by x-ray analysis.
Background: It is hypothesized by upper cervical specialists that different adjustments yield different corrections and thus varied results. It is thought that patients who receive high reductions of the occipito-atlantoaxial subluxation will improve symptomatically much sooner and to a greater extent. It is also felt that this same group of patients will require an adjustment less frequently, when compared with patients in low post x-ray correction group.
Methods: A specially designed computerized database was used to tabulate data from 458 patient files. Misalignment factors were measured using the Grostic Procedure, and all of the doctor's files were reviewed for this study. The percent correction of misalignment seen on x-ray analysis after the first adjustment, the symptomatic improvement rating, the number of visits and adjustments in the first month were collected for analysis.
Results: Statistical analysis showed signifiant relationships between the percent correction and the symptom rating, and the number of adjustments needed in the first week and first month. Comparing the data between patients with x-ray corrections less than 50% with those with corrections greater than or equal to 50% showed significant differences. On the average, the symptom rating went from 2.55 to 2.69 ( z-test scores, p<0.02) in the low versus high correction group. The average number of adjustments in the first week went from 2.46 to 2.11 (p< 0.001), and the average number of adjustments in the first month went from 4.87 to 4.59 (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The patients in this doctor's practice had better outcome on the average, based on the improvement of clinical signs and the reduced need for follow-up adjustment, when the occipito-atlantoaxial subluxation complex was reduced by a least 50% after the first adjustment. While the adjustment is almost always effective in correcting the clinical indicators of the need for adjustment, fewer adjustments are needed if the initial misalignment correction is more complete. Based on these findings, post-adjustment x-rays are recommended after the first adjustment to ascertain that the adjustment was effective in eliminating at least 50% of the misalignment noted on x-ray analysis.
Author Keyword: post-adjustment x-ray, Chiropractic, adjustment, Grostic Procedure, occipito-atlantoaxial subluxation complex.
This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher.
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