Haymo Thiel graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1985 and is Head of Clinic and Associate Professor (Clinical Chiropractic) at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic. He is currently enrolled as a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth.

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Platform Presentation:

Evaluation of Cervical Spine Manipulation Techniques: a Prospective Study of Patient Outcomes

Haymo Thiel*
Jennifer Bolton*
Jane Portlock**

*Anglo-European College of Chiropractic
**University of Portsmouth

Spinal manipulative therapy has become an increasingly popular therapeutic approach for the treatment of mechanical neck disorders and headache (1). Although the utilisation rates for spinal manipulation can differ considerably from one country to another, the chiropractic profession is one of the main providers, both in Europe and North America (1-3). It has been estimated that in approximately one third of patients presenting to chiropractors, spinal manipulation is applied to the neck (3, 4).

This prospective cohort study aimed to recruit 500 chiropractors, each of whom were asked to report on 100 consecutive cervical spine manipulation treatments. Outcomes to treatment were recorded immediately and between follow-up visits. These included, amongst others, type of manipulative technique applied, number of manipulations delivered, area of cervical spine treated, and any changes in presenting symptoms or onset of new symptoms.

1. Ernst E. Prevalence of use of complementary/alternative medicine: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organisation 2000;78:252-257.
2. Shekelle P, Brook R. A community-based study of the use of chiropractic services. Am J Public Health 1991;81:439-442.
3. Coulter I, Hurwitz E, Adams A, Genovese B, Hays R, Shekelle P. Patients using chiropractors in North America: who are they, and why are they in chiropractic care? Spine 2002;27:291-296.
4. Licht P, Christensen H, Hoilund-Carlsen P. Is cervical spinal manipulation dangerous? J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2002;26:48-52.