Hot Topics in Chiropractic Research
Hot Topic #1: Chiropractic for Creativity?
Most of us will schedule an appoint-ment with our trusted chiropractic physician when we are feeling aches and pains in our backs or necks. But did you know that a chiropractic adjustment might be just what you need to take your creativity to the next level?
Researchers in Australia have discov-ered a trend that suggests this could be so. Ten subjects were recruited for a study; their ages ranged from 10 to 62. Nine out of ten were currently involved in a real-world task that included some form of creative thinking. Seven of the subjects were also experiencing some musculoskeletal symptoms, and three people reported some stress or stress-related symptoms at the time of the study.
All subjects were tested before and after chiropractic treatments using the alternate uses test – a tool used to measure divergent thinking, a component of creative thinking.
Results: Six out of the ten subjects experienced improvements in their performance on the alternate uses test. Responses from post adjustment interviews showed that a majority of those studied experienced renewed energy for a creative project, plus a tendency to implement a new direction for a real-world creative task.
Feeling stuck in your life? A chiro-practic adjustment might give you a needed nudge in the right direction!
Hot Topic #2: Better, Better… Personal Best!
Is it just coincidence? Or, does improved alignment contribute to increased performance
According to one elite athlete, his chiropractic experience was undeniably positive, and the results speak for themselves! A 50-year old male race walker presented for chiropractic care while preparing for a world-class event. Prior to chiropractic intervention, this athlete held several state and national records in this endurance sport for various distances – including the
10 km national record and the 15 km state record.
Treatments for this patient included chiropractic adjustments to his spine to correct for any identified areas of subluxation, and also adjustments to his legs to improve mobility and alignment of his tibiofemoral joints.
Results: Four days after one particular chiropractic session, he recorded his personal best (PB) in the 15 km distance (better than the current state record, established by him one year previously)! Two more treatments were administered during the month prior to the World Masters event, and two more PB times were recorded – this time in the 5 km and 10 km distance events!
This report suggests that chiropractic can be used for more than just aches and pains. If you are a competitive athlete, perhaps your best training partner is your chiropractor!
Hot Topic #3: How Much Chiropractic Is Enough for Low Back Pain?
This is a common question from patients experiencing chronic, debilitating back pain.
In this recent study (2011), research-ers are offering one suggestion. Sixty patients experiencing chronic, non-specific low back pain were randomized into three groups for the purposes of this study. Group one received 12 faux adjustments over a period of one month. This meant that they believed they were receiving the actual treatment, but in actuality only received a pretend adjustment during their session. Group two received 12 treatments, including actual chiroprac-tic adjustments, over the same one month period as group one.
Group three received the same treatment schedule as group two, PLUS regular maintenance adjustments every two weeks for nine months after the initial one month intensive treatment schedule.
Results: Groups two and three experienced significantly lower pain and disability scores than the faux group at the end of the first month, but only the third group maintained these improvements compared to the other two groups when re-assessed after 10 months.
Conclusion: Just as regular exercise helps to keep your cardiovascular system healthy, chiropractic care helps to keep your spine pain free and healthy.