Abstract
M.Tech.
Purpose: To determine the effect of Chiropractic spinal adjustive therapy (SAT) of the lumbar spine and Sacroiliac joints on performance utilising indicators such as vertical jump height and T-test time of moderate to highly active sport participants. It has been suggested that a dysfunctional vertebral subluxation complex can cause a decrease in performance. The decreased performance may be due to dysfunctional biomechanics and altered neurological functioning of the lumbar spine and Sacroiliac joints. Methods: A randomised study design with thirty asymptomatic male subjects, which were moderate to highly active as indicated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), participated in this study. Participants were divided into two equal groups, group A (n=15) received Chiropractic SAT of the lumbar spine and Sacroiliac joints, group B (n=15) were rested for five minutes. The study design consisted of six consultations, with intervention being applied at each consultation between objective measurements. Objective data was obtained by the vertical jump test and T-test which determined participant’s explosive power and agility respectively. Objective data was obtained before and after intervention on each of the six consultations. The immediate effect of intervention was represented by the before versus the after measurements of consultations. The short term effect was represented by comparing the before values of consultation one (baseline) to consultation six.
Results: The objective results showed that there was a short term and immediate improvement in vertical jump height and T-test time of both groups. With vertical jump height group A showed an immediate mean improvement of 3.845 cm (7%) and a short term mean improvement of 0.74 cm (1%); group B showed an immediate mean improvement of 1.6 cm (3%) and a short term mean improvement of 1.47 cm (3%). With the T-test time group A showed an immediate mean improvement of 0.433 s (4%) and a short term mean improvement
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of 0.673 (6%); group B showed a immediate mean improvement of 0.1745 s (2%) and a short term mean improvement of 0.6 s (5%). Conclusion: Although results obtained were not statistically significant (p>0.05), it demonstrated from a clinical perspective that interventions caused an improvement in jump height and T-test time in both groups. Group A showed a greater improvement in every aspect, except in the short term effect of Chiropractic SAT on vertical jump height. It is therefore postulated that improvements noted were as a result of the adjustment providing an enhanced biomechanical and neurological advantage, and therefore in performance indicators such as the vertical jump test and T-test in the participants.