PTCase ReportJournal of physical therapy science2023

Reduction of thoraco-lumbar kyphosis results in the alleviation of low back pain in an adolescent basketball player: a Chiropractic Biophysics® (CBP®) case report.

Paul A Oakley, Jason W Haas, Deed E Harrison

PMID 38075517

WHAT IT FOUND

A 17-year-old basketball player reported pain dropping from 6/10 to 0/10 after four months of chiropractic care.

The clinic measured a 12-degree reduction in spinal curvature. Because multiple techniques were used together, no single part can be credited.

Key findings

01The patient's reported pain intensity dropped from an average of 6/10 to 0/10, and disability scores on the Oswestry questionnaire fell from 22% to 4%.

02Radiographic measurement of the thoraco-lumbar spine showed a reduction in deformity magnitude from 41.9 degrees to 30.2 degrees.

03The patient received a combination of mirror image exercises, spinal traction, and manual spinal manipulation, making it impossible to separate the contribution of any single component.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they found

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What it does not show

This is a single case report, so the results cannot be generalised to other patients. The treatment involved multiple components delivered at the same time, so the effect of any one specific technique cannot be isolated. The patient was not followed up into adulthood, so it is unknown if the structural changes or pain relief remained stable over time. The authors have significant financial ties to the Chiropractic Biophysics organization and the devices used in the study.

Declared interests

The authors declared substantial financial conflicts of interest regarding the treatment method used. One author is a paid consultant for CBP NonProfit, Inc., another is an instructor for CBP Seminars, and a third is the CEO of Chiropractic BioPhysics, which sells the rehabilitation devices and education used in the case.

The easy way to misread this

Do not assume the exercises or traction specifically caused the pain relief. The patient received multiple treatments at once, and the authors state it is unknown which modalities contributed to the structural improvements.

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