COCA Conference Proceeding’s Abstracts

Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conferences

The Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia is a non-profit, member-based organisation that provides high quality continuing education and furthering research for Chiropractors, Osteopaths and related health professionals.

The following are the SOT Related Abstracts from the 2014 COCA Conference, Sydney, Australia.

Cashman S, Blum CL. The relationship between the trapezius muscle and spinal segments T1 to L5. 12th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Sydney, Australia. 2014.

Introduction: The trapezius fibre technique, developed by DeJarnette suggests that specific position of a trapezius muscular nodule relates to a level of vertebral dysfunction. This study attempted to evaluate the inter and intra-examiner reliability in detecting these nodules in the trapezius and secondly to confirm their presence using various imaging modalities.

Methods: Two-reliability studies were conducted using experienced Sacro Occipital Technique practitioners who were blindfolded and asked to examine 50-subjects. Recordings were made of their findings and a statistical analysis performed along with various imaging devices considered to visualise trapezius fibre nodules.

Results: 72% of cases had a level of inter-examiner agreement whereas intra-examiner study found faultless agreement in 56% of cases, rising to 89% for a minimum level of agreement. Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging findings were inconclusive.

Discussion: A marked difference in the level of interexaminer reliability was found between the first and second trial. The second trial had improved findings likely due a number of standardising sessions in which a positive finding agreement was reached between the examiners.

Conclusion: These results suggest that experienced practitioners have a clinically viable level of agreement in locating these nodules in the trapezius muscle.

The following are the SOT Related Abstracts from the 2011 COCA Conference, Melbourne, Australia.

Power L, Blum CL. Adjusting a tooth? A case series. 9th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Melbourne, Australia. 2011.

Introduction : Manipulation of a tooth has been discussed in the literature over the past few decades yet without significant evidence based literature.

Case Series : A 5-year-old female, was treated for severe tooth pain with any pressure. A 68-year-old female, complained of tooth pain right upper molar without any overt dental pathology according to her dentist. A 58-year-old female first presented with right mastoid area pressure and pain as well as numbness of the right TMJ and right back teeth. A 60-year-old female she complained of tooth pain from a crown restoration to the left upper 2nd molar. A 31-year-old female complained of front upper tooth pain.

Treatment : Prior to any adjustment to the teeth all sacro occipital technique protocols and cranial/TMJ therapy was performed. The focus of the treatment determines a positional preference that can be directed to a tooth in a specific direction to relieve pain and improve occlusion.

Results : Significant improvement was noted in these 5-patient’s cases with reduction of tooth pain which had long-term effects.

Conclusion : It appeared that the condition was not responding to a wait and see approach and that there did not seem to be any related dental pathology or disorder.

Salem AR. Sacro occipital technique treatment of patient with pervasive craniofacial and body pains secondary to chronic TMD: A case report. 9th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Melbourne, Australia. 2011.

Introduction: For chronic low back, neck, head and TMD there are various types of treatments from conservative care involving exercises or other methods of treatment such as chiropractic care or dental appliances.

Case Report: A 54-year-old female, housewife, was seen in this clinic for chronic low back, neck, head and jaw pain which began in 1990 and persisted for 18-years.

Treatment/Intervention: During the month of care following the patient’s initial presentation she was treated with sacro occipital technique (SOT) and cranial techniques. As part of the evaluation and treatment process to relieve discomfort and increase TM function, the patient was instructed to insert a simple “gapping device,” a tongue depressor placed between her front upper and lower incisors, and use this “device” for a few periods each day.

Results: Following the 2nd office visit the patient reported “the pain around my head and face stopped. During the initial month of care, she was seen 2-times per week, totaling 8 consults. At 7-weeks, a full cranial sutural treatment resulted in the patient’s jaw normalizing translation, execursions, and without crepitus.

Conclusion: Further research is indicated to determine what subset of patients with generalized body pain and TMD might best respond to chiropractic care.

Salem AR. Balancing the pelvis post partial hip replacement: A case report. 9th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Melbourne, Australia. 2011.

Introduction: A 58-year-old male was seen four-years post-partial replacement of left hip. Following surgery, lower and upper back and neck pains and restrictions increased compromising his walking, sitting, and driving. By the third-year post-surgery, routine suboccipital headaches established and shingles appeared across the back below the thoracolumbar transition.

Interventions/Methods: Clinic examination reveals lumbosacral discopathy, sacroiliac joint instability, restriction at mid-cervical spine, and TMJ dysfunction. Pre-surgical partial hip replace noted the right femur’s head-neck-axis was longer than the left and post surgery the left was consistently longer than the right.

Treatment: Treatment averaged approximately 1-2 visits per weeks for 6-weeks decompress the lumbosacral disc and related joints by SOT category three methods. Then category two corrections to support sacroiliac stability were performed along with myofascial balancing, cervical stairstep procedures and TMJ treatment.

Results: At six-weeks, the patient was free from complaints and had increased activities. With category two corrections over the year, the femoral head comparison angle became more symmetrical radiographically.

Conclusion: This study examined a 4-year post surgery partial hip replacement and how it may have been the cause of a secondary sacroiliac joint instability due to the anatomical and functional asymmetry of the surgically repaired hip joint.

Tupper S, Blum CL. Triple occiput, sacro occipital technique, and chronic fatigue syndrome. 9th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Melbourne, Australia. 2011.

Introduction : 48-year-old male student presented with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). He had the condition for years, unresponsive to various interventions, and also had chronic low back discomfort.

Methods and Treatment : Treatment focused on balancing sacroiliac joint sprain (category two) findings and related regions along with upper cervical region.

Results : The patient reported improvement following treatment, however the relief would not last for more than a few days to a week. A specific occipital adjustment called the “triple occiput” was used which involved adjusting a posterior occiput on one side, then on the contralateral side, and then once again on the ipsilateral side. The initial side was the side of reduced rotation. Following this adjustment the supine category two treatment appeared to help stabilize pelvic torsion, facilitate eliminating category two indicators, and improve the patient’s long term relief of his chronic fatigue syndrome.

Conclusion : Patient with sacroiliac joint hypermobility syndrome with accompanying suboccipital tension may represent a subset of CFS patients that could be responsive to this specific type of chiropractic care. Greater study is needed to evaluate if there is indeed a subset of CSF patients with this pattern and if they are responsive to this form of care.

Vaughan BS, Blum CL. Testing an amputee for physiological short leg. 9th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Melbourne, Australia. 2011.

Introduction : A 45-year-old male patient who had had his left leg amputated ten years previously, as a result of severe injury from a car accident in South Africa, presented with low back pain with buttock and groin pain. This case report discusses a novel method of evaluating treatment utilizing pelvic blocks for a lower extremity amputee.

Intervention : Using Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT) diagnostic methods the patient’s condition was consistent with a sacroiliac sprain (category two) yet not having a left leg to compare to the right side, assessment of pelvic torsion and block placement was a challenge.

Treatment : Muscle testing was used as a functional assessment tool and a pre test had found that grasping the patient’s leg and testing the arm for strength, showed weakness when one leg was forced shorter, or the other leg was forced longer.

Results : The patient responded well to category two block placement with reduced pain, improved function and reduction of SOT indictors of a sacroiliac joint sprain.

Conclusion : In this study a method of “forcing” the leg longer or shorter and assessing muscle strength was used to determine proper supine pelvic block placement to successfully treat a sacroiliac joint sprain.

The following are the SOT Related Abstracts from the 2009 COCA Conference, Sydney, Australia.

Unger JF, Provencher S. Compression of the Sacroiliac Joint with a Sacroiliac Belt on 36 Subjects Improved Postural Control: A Pilot Study. 8th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Sydney, Australia. 2009.

Introduction : Compression has been found to stabilize the sacroiliac joint (SIJ). The sacroiliac belt, also known as a pelvic belt, helps to reduce sacroiliac hypermobility and limit laxity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using a Serola sacroiliac (SI) belt in 21 random asymptomatic subjects on postural control (lateral sway, stability and offset) measured by a MIDOT unit.

Methods/Intervention : 21 asymptomatic and 15 sacroiliac symptomatic subjects between the ages of 22 and 55 were randomly chosen from a chiropractic population. Subjects were measured on the MIDOT balance scale pre (without SI belt) and post (with SI belt) with eyes open.

Results : The MIDOT unit measured the proprioceptive balance input of the body via lateral and AP sway velocity, offset and stability. Lateral offset decreased only in the asymptomatic group, the lateral stability increased in both groups and was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05) with the sacroiliac belt.

Discussion : Postural control is influenced by developmental factors, prenatal habits and perinatal labor and delivery, all of which may have an impact on anatomic structure of the individual. This neurological integration is due to multiple systems. Force transfer through the SIJ region may be under proprioceptive control of neural elements within the tissues surrounding the SIJ. Vleeming reported that SIJ belts applied to cadaver models reduced SIJ rotation by 30%.

Conclusion : The Serola sacroiliac belt improved the postural control, lateral stability and offset. The current pilot study, while giving interesting information, indicates that further studies are needed with a larger sample of subjects utilizing the same parameters.

Provencher S, Unger JF. Restoration of the Craniosacral Respiratory Mechanism in Fibromyalgia via specific SOT Chiropractic and Cranial treatments. 8th Biennial Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA) Conference: Sydney, Australia. 2009.

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This COCA Conference Proceeding Compendium of Abstracts and all its contents herein are published by SOTO-USA solely for the purpose of education and should not be used by patients or unlicensed persons to diagnose or treat any condition.

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