Harold McCoy, D.C. and Matthew McCoy, D.C.
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Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ Volume 1 ~ Number 3 ~ Pages 1-11
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Abstract
A retrospective study was conducted of 57 subjects who had experienced an acceleration/deceleration (whiplash) injury. Since patients presented at different intervals post injury, they were evaluated by time of onset of subluxation-based chiropractic care, and also as a collective population independent of differences in onset of care intervals.Variables including atlas/axis and Jackson’s angles, range of motion, muscle strength, and a neck pain disability index, were assessed at the time of presentation and at a clinically determined point of maximum chiropractic improvement (MCI).As a function of onset of subluxation-based chiropractic care, results showed significant differences in three range of motion variables at presentation; left cervical rotation, right and left lateral cervical flexion, and one muscle strength variable at the point of MCI, right shoulder rotation. Collectively, in association with subluxation-based chiropractic care, the subject population showed significant increases in cervical flexion and extension, muscle strength, and a decrease in the neck pain disability index. Atlas/axis and Jackson’s angles varied inversely from presentation to MCI, providing information for a model describing possible cervical dynamics during the restorative process following whiplash injury. Additionally, duration of care required to reach MCI was inversely related to the frequency of adjustments (expressed as a ratio of average adjustments/week) which were specifically administered for the correction of vertebral ubluxation. This indicated that longer durations of care were correlated with the lower ratios (fewer adjustments/week), while shorter durations of care to reach MCI were correlated to higher ratios of average adjustments/week.
