Abstract
M.Tech.
Purpose: To determine the effect of Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) compared to that of fascial treatment on Superficial back line (SBL) fascial line restrictions.
It has been suggested that a fascial line restriction can cause a decrease in performance and lead to over – use injuries.
Methods: A randomised study design with thirty asymptomatic male participants, which were moderate to highly active as indicated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Participants were divided into two equal groups, group A (n=15) received Chiropractic SMT of the lumbar spine and Sacroiliac joints, group B (n=15) were treated with Direct Release Myofascial Technique to the restricted SBL. The study design consisted of seven consultations, with intervention being applied at each consultation. Objective data was obtained by the Bunkie test and Range of Motion testing which determined the participant‟s level of endurance and fascial line restriction. Objective data was obtained before and after the first intervention, after intervention on the fourth consultation and on the seventh consultation, which did not include intervention. The short term effect was represented by comparing the before values of consultation one (baseline) to consultation seven. The immediate effect of intervention was represented by the before versus the after measurements of consultations.
Results: The objective results showed that there was a short term and immediate improvement in Lumbar range of motion for both groups and a short term and immediate improvement in Bunkie test times of both groups, except for the immediate effect of group B, which decreased the Bunkie test time.
With the Bunkie test group A showed an immediate mean improvement of 2.4 seconds (11.3%) on the right and 2.3 seconds (4.9%) on the left. With the Bunkie test group A showed a short term mean improvement of 9 seconds (41.8%) on the right and 10.1 seconds (44.1%)
on the left. Group B showed no immediate mean improvement for the Bunkie test and a short term mean improvement of 3.3 seconds (19%) on the right and 2 seconds (10.9%) on the left.