Non-surgical reduction in thoracolumbar kyphosis and sagittal vertical axis corresponding with improved sensorimotor control in an older adult with spinal deformity: a Chiropractic Biophysics® case report.
Paul A Oakley, William H Gage, Deed E Harrison and 1 others
PMID 39493686WHAT IT FOUND
One older man with spinal deformity improved his standing balance and reduced his forward lean after four months of chiropractic exercises, traction and whole-body vibration.
Because this was a single patient, it shows what happened to him, not that the treatment works.
Key findings
01The patient's forward spinal lean (sagittal vertical axis) decreased from 72.8 mm to -5.8 mm, and his thoracolumbar kyphosis angle decreased from 29.1° to 19°.
02Standing balance improved on the hardest sensory condition (foam with eyes closed), where the center of pressure path length dropped from 164 cm to 115 cm.
03The patient reported less pain (NPRS 5/10 to 0/10) and lower disability (Oswestry 38% to 22%), but stiffness and reduced hip strength remained.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so the results cannot be generalized to other patients. There was no control group or blinding, making it impossible to know if the improvements were due to the treatment, natural variation, or placebo effect. The treatment was multimodal (exercises, traction, vibration, massage), so it is unclear which component caused the improvement. There was no long-term follow-up to see if the gains were maintained. The authors have significant financial and professional ties to the treatment method being evaluated.
Declared interests
Two of the four authors are directly affiliated with Chiropractic BioPhysics®: one is a paid consultant for the non-profit, and the other is the CEO of the company, teaches the method, and sells related products.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this specific chiropractic protocol is effective for adult spinal deformity. This is a single uncontrolled case report with significant conflicts of interest, and it cannot rule out that the improvements were due to natural variation or the placebo effect.