The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC's) symposium is being acclaimed as arguably the best multi-disciplinary clinical and scientific program ever presented by the chiropractic profession. This was an international event that included some of the greatest names in spinal research from the health professions.
There were 83 papers that were accepted for the research competition. Researchers came from all over the world as well as from all parts of health care. The top papers received monetary awards, they were:
First Prize ($5,000)
"Functional Outcomes of Low Back Pain: Comparison of Four Treatment Groups in a Controlled Randomized Trial," Hsieh, J., M.S., P.T., D.C., Phillips, R., Ph.D., D.C., Adams, A., M.S., D.C., and Pope, M.H., Ph.D. Dr. John Hsieh, from Taiwan, is on the faculty of the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic.
- Appropriate ways of measuring treatment effect (outcome measures) have not been agreed upon for low back pain. Patient questionnaires (survey instruments) are growing in acceptance and importance.
- This study compared two forms of questionnaires that have been widely accepted but not previously compared -- the revised Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire (ROLBPQ) and the Roland-Morris Activity Scale (RMAS).
Second Prize ($3,000) "The Role of the Cervical Sympathetic Trunk-Submandibular Gland Axis in Modulation of Endotoxic Shock in the Rat," Waddell, S.C., D.C., Mathison, R., Ph.D., Davison, J.S., Ph.D. and Befus, D., Ph.D. Dr. Stephen Waddell is in private practice in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This research was performed at the Departments of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta.
- Do altered spinal biomechanics effect the cervical-sympathetic nervous system's regulation of immune response?
- This study investigated the role of the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) in modulating shock in sensitized rats. A population of rats was given either no operation, a sham operation, an operation to remove the SCG (ganglionectomy) or an operation to remove the submandibular glands.
Third Prize (two papers received $1,000 each) "A Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial of Manual Therapy and Physiotherapy and for Chronic Back and Neck Complaints," Koes, B.W., M.A., Bouter, L.M., Ph.D., van Mameren, H., Ph.D., M.D., Essers, A. Hofhuizen, D.M., Houben, J.P., Verstegen, G.M., Jr., Knipschild, P.G., Ph.D., M.D.
The principal researchers come from the departments of epidemology and health care research at the University of Limburg, the Netherlands. A second paper, "The Efficacy of Chiropractic for Back Pain" was accepted for poster presentation at the congress. It concludes that the literature indicates that chiropractic seems to provide an effective treatment for back pain. These researchers, together with the Netherlands Chiropractic Association, are now proceeding to a trial of chiropractic for tension headache.
- In the Netherlands medical patients with back and neck complaints persisting after six weeks are generally referred by GPs for physiotherapy or manual therapy.
- 256 patients with non-specific back and/or neck complaints of at least six weeks were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups -- physiotherapy (exercises, massage and PT modalities), manual therapy (manipulation and mobilization according to the standards of the Dutch Society for Manual Therapy), treatment by a GP (medication advice about posture and home exercises) and placebo therapy (examination, then 10 minutes of detuned shortwave diathermy and detuned ultrasound).
"Differences in Treatment History with Manipulation for Acute, Subacute, Chronic and Recurrent Spine Pain," Triano, J.T., M.A., D.C., Hondras, M., D.C., McGregor, M., M.Sc., D.C. Dr. John Triano and his team conducted this research at the National College of Chiropractic, Lombard, Illinois.
- This was a prospective study of 240 patients with acute, sub-acute, recurrent and chronic back pain, undertaken to gain data on treatment patterns in chiropractic practice.
The list of invited papers, as well as the sample of the free papers and posters speak for themselves:
Invited Papers
"The Evolution and Importance of Spinal and Chiropractic Research," Scott Haldeman, D.C., M.D., Ph.D. "Patho-anatomic Studies and Clinical Significance of Posterior Facets Lumbosacral Zygopophyseal (Facet) Joints," Lynton Giles, D.C., Ph.D.
"Patho-anatomic Studies and Clinical Significance of the Sacroiliac Joints," David Cassidy, D.C., MSc.
"Factors Important in the Genesis and Prevention of Occupational Back Pain and Disability," Gunnar Andersson, M.D., Ph.D.
"The Reliability of Routine X-rays as a Method of Documenting Spinal Pathology and Positional Abnormalities," Reed Phillips, D.C., Ph.D.
"The Reliability of Imaging (CT, MRI, Myelography) and Other Diagnostic Methods in Documenting the Cause of Spinal Pain," Sam Wiesel, M.D.
"The Reliability of Palpatory and Other Chiropractic Diagnostic Methods," Alan Breen, D.C.
"The Reflex Effects of Spinal Somatic Nerve Stimulation on Visceral Function," Akio Sato, M.D., Ph.D.
"The Effects of Compression on the Physiology of the Nerve Roots," Bjorn Rydevik, M.D., Ph.D.
"The Anatomical Basis for Cervicogenic Headaches," Nikolai Bogduk, M.D., Ph.D.
"Studies on the Bio-mechanical Effect of a Spinal Adjustment," John Triano, M.A., D.C.
Free papers -- abstracts accepted for platform presentation. (This is only a sample of the vast number of free papers submitted).
Basic Sciences
"Enzyme Changes in Rabbit Muscles Due to Chronic Compressive Nerve Irritation," J.A. Christensen, D.C, S. Beals, et al.
"Nucleus Pulposus Movement Within Rat Intervertebral Discs Subjected to Sagittal Plane Motions," Dennis M. Marchiori, D.C., Se-Pyo Hong, Ph.D., Brian McMaster, Ph.D.
"Modification of Blood Beta-Endorphins and Melatonin Levels in Chronic Head and Neck in Male Patients by Spinal Manipulation," M.S.I. Dhami, Ph.D., Robert Mootz, D.C.
"Asymmetry of the Occipital Condyles: A Computer Assisted Analysis," Teresa A. Febbo, D.C., Roger Morrison, D.C., Richard Valente
Diagnostic Sciences
"Lack of Evidence for a Relationship Between Low Back Pain and Asymmetrical Muscle Activity using Scanning Electromyography," William Meeker, D.C., Doug Matheson, Ph.D., Amo Wong, D.C.
"3-D Head Axis of Rotation as a Diagnostic Tool for Assessing Neck Function," Jack M. Winters, Ph.D., Paul J. Osterbauer, D.C. et al.
"Lumbar Motion Trends and Correlation with Low Back Pain. A Roentgenological Evaluation of Quantitative Segmental Motion in Lateral Bending," Mitchell Haas, D.C., Joanne Nyiendo, Ph.D.
"Normal Sagittal Plane Motion in the Human Neck,"
Keith Charlton, D.C., Nikolai Bogduk, Ph.D.
Manipulation Sciences
"Functional Outcomes of Low Back Pain: Comparison of Four Treatment Groups in a Controlled Randomized Trial," John Hsieh, D.C. "Low Back Pain Treated by Medical Doctors and Chiropractors," Ole H. Jochumsen, D.C.
"The Immediate Effect of Manipulation versus Mobilization on Pain and Range of Motion in the Cervical Spine: A Randomized Controlled Trial," Art A. Lopes, D.C., J.D. Cassidy, D.C., K. Yong-Hing, M.D.
"Differences in Treatment History with Manipulation for Acute, Subacute, Chronic and Recurrent Spine Pain," John T. Triano, D.C., Maria Hondras, D.C., Marion McGregor, D.C.
Special Interest
"Chiropractic as a University Discipline,"
Rod Bonello, D.C.
"Do Chiropractors and Rheumatologists Have the Same Image of Chronic Low Back Pain Patients (CLBPP)," Jean Robert, D.C., Elaine Perrin, Ph.D. et al.
"Dansk Kiropraktor Kursus: an Historical Perspective and Overview of the Danish Chiropractic School," Inger H. Simonsen, D.C., Marshall N. Deltoff, D.C., Kirsten K.Johansen, D.C.
"Proposal for Establishing Structure and Process in the Development of Implicit Chiropractic Standards of Care and Practice Guidelines," Daniel T. Hansen, D.C., Alan H. Adams, D.C. et al.
Accepted for poster presentation. (Due to the vast number of posters presented, this is only a sample.)
Basic Sciences
"Ascorbate Radicals as an Indicator of Local Inflammation," Kenneth F. DeBoer, Ph.D., G.R. Buettner "Forces Generated During Spinal Manipulative Therapy of Cervical Spine: A Pilot Study," Greg N. Kawchuck, D.C., Walter Herzog, Ph.D., Evelyne M. Hasler
"Spine Loading and Body Discomfort When Sitting at Two Backrest Angles and Three Support Depths," Reed Phillips, D.C., Clark Danielson, M.P.A. et al.
Diagnostic Sciences
"Reliability of a Motion Palpation to Detect Single and Multiple Level Fixations in a Mechanical Spinal Model," David Byfield, D.C., Nick Nunn "Side-Specific and Level-Specific Effects of Spinal Adjustments on Cervical Lateral Flexion and Rotational Passive End-Range Asymetries," Dale Nansel, Ph.D.
"3-D Axis of Rotation in Whiplash Patients Treated Chiropractically," Paul J. Osterbauer, D.C., Arlan W. Fuhr, D.C. et al.
Special Interest
"Dynamic Spine: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Axial Skeleton," Patrick Coughlin, Ph.D., Mark Hysell "Storming the Tower of Babel: A Model for the Standardization of Terminology," M.I. Gatterman, D.C.
"Spinal Manipulative Therapy from an Engineering Systems Perspective," Jack M. Winters, Ph.D.
The proceedings from this event should be in the office of every DC in the world. They will provide pertinent reading for every type of practitioner. Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of these proceedings still available. Those interested in owning a copy should contact the WFC as soon as possible:
World Federation of Chiropractic
P.O. Box 224, Station "S"
Toronto, Ontario, M5M 4L7
Canada
Prices are $40 Canadian or $45 US. Send details of Visa, Mastercard or cheque drawn to "World Federation of Chiropractic."
