Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 159
To date, there is controversy regarding the risks associated with manipulation to the cervical spine. The evidence that does exist originates mainly from reviews of individual case studies and medico-legal insurance claims data. This study aims to document outcomes prospectively from a large number of consecutive cervical spine manipulation treatments administered by chiropractors in field practices.
A total of 500 chiropractors will be recruited into the study, each of whom will report on 100 consecutive cervical manipulation treatments. Outcomes will be monitored immediately following the treatment using a specifically designed data-capture form. This will include patient demographics, type of manipulation and area of the cervical spine manipulated, change in presenting symptoms and onset of symptoms. Any serious adverse event will necessitate the completion of an adverse event reporting form. On the subsequent visit, data will be entered on treatment-related outcomes that may have occurred in the intervening period. Again, any serious adverse event will be recorded. The study design is particularly focused on capturing complete and accurate data for all consecutive cervical manipulation treatments occurring during the study period.
The study is currently at the design stage, with peer review of the data capture forms planned for October 2002. Ethics approval for the study is under consideration by the University of Portsmouth. The authors wish to present this study for information and to receive feedback from interested parties as part of the peer review process.
