Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether chiropractic spinal
manipulative therapy had an immediate effect on athletic performance in
the elite cyclist. Changes in performance were quantified using objective
data from power measurements (in Watts) recorded while the participants
were cycling.
The study was a pre-test-post-test control group design. Eighty
participants were randomly allocated into either the treatment group or the
control group. Data was collected using the air-braked cycle ergometer,
the Wattbike Trainer. The test protocol comprised of a ten-minute warm up
followed by three six-second sprint efforts, each sprint at a different
resistance level. The test protocol was repeated after a thirty-minute rest
period. During the rest period the treatment group received chiropractic
manipulative therapy to the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints and the
control group received no intervention.
Both the treatment and control group increased their mean power output,
possibly due to a learned response. However the treatment group had a
noticeably greater increase in mean power output across all three sprint
efforts, post chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy. This improvement in
performance of asymptomatic, elite cyclists could possibly be attributed to
the effects of the chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy.
M.Tech. (Chiropractic)