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Daniel Becker, DC, MEd, Christine Theodossis, DC, Mitzi Schwartzbauer, DC, Alan Brewster, DC
Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research ~ March 26, 2025 ~ Pages 6-15
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Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the level of agreement between two different protocols to assess functional supine leg length (fLLI) inequality and compare the results to a known neurofunctional assessment.
Methods: Forty-two chiropractic college students were evaluated with two different fLLI assessment protocols (“general” and EPIC – Evolutionary Percussive Instrument Corrections) on each of three days. On the third day each participant completed the cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility test (CCKST) to assess cervical proprioception. The level of agreement on the presence or absence of pattern, as well as day to day agreement on the side of the short leg were calculated and groups were compared to performance on the CCKST.
Results: Functional leg length inequality assessment protocols demonstrated fair agreement. Participants found to be in pattern using the “general” protocol did not perform significantly worse on the CCKST than those found not to be in pattern by the same “general” protocol. Participants found to be in pattern with the EPIC protocol performed significantly worse (p<.05) than those found to not be in pattern using the EPIC protocol.
Conclusions: Two different fLLI assessment protocols performed by two different examiners showed fair agreement. Participants in pattern using the EPIC protocol performed significantly worse on head relocation assessments than those determined to not be in pattern, but this was not the case with the general protocol. This could indicate that the EPIC protocol is more discriminative than a general fLLI assessment protocol in determining poor proprioception, a sign of somatic dysfunction.
Keywords: Functional Leg Length Inequality, Cervical Proprioception, Sensorimotor Control, Cervicocephalic Kinesthetic Sensibility Test
