Research Evidence Behind Cox Technic, Johnson Chiropractic's Treatment

Cox Technic Flexion Distraction and Decompression is respected for its research and documentation. It is even talked about for its science-based and evidence-based explanations. This is not by accident. Though the body has its mysteries, researchers and clinicians ably strive to uncover the clues that lead to better care of the body, especially with chiropractic Cox Technic.

Researchers around the United States are conducting studies involving chiropractic flexion-distraction from its biomechanical influences on the spine and body to its clinical outcomes for Richmond chiropractic patients with varied spine pain conditions.

The first federally funded study involving flexion-distraction documented what happens during the procedure:

1. Reduces the pressures inside the disc to a -192 mm Hg 
2. Increases disc height   
3. Increases spinal canal foramen size up to 28% making more room for spinal nerves

For more lumbar spine biomechanical details, please click here.

The NIH (National Institutes of Health) funded chiropractic research involved chiropractic researchers alongside medical researchers at Palmer Research Center, Hines VA Hospital (Chicago), and Loyola Stritch School of Medicine. It  revealed these factors about the chiropractic flexion distraction Cox Technic for cervical spine as used at Johnson Chiropractic: 

The European Spine Journal published the outcomes of the US Government's Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)-funded comparison study of chiropractic flexion-distraction care and medical conservative care for low back pain. Its findings are that

1. "Overall, flexion-distraction provided more pain relief than active exercise [the medical conservative approach]; however, these results varied base on stratification of patients [1] with and without radiculopathy [extremity/leg pain/sciatica] and [2] with and without recurrent symptoms."
2. "Patients with radiculopathy [leg pain] did significantly better with flexion-distraction."

In a case of a 60 year old man with cervical spine stenosis and radiculopathy, significant relief of pain by the patient's own report as well as in his clinical exam tests is documented. This relief came after prior medication and physical/occupational therapy did not work for him. (1) 

In a study of 39 patients who had cervical spine pain that radiating into their arms, data was collected about their response to care with flexion distraction and adjunctive therapy modalities. It was found that the mean number of treatments was 13 to achieve a statistically significant reduction in pain. The range of treatments was 6 to 37 treatments total. Relief was attained non-surgically and satisfactorily for these patients. (2)

In a federally funded neck pain patient comparison study of flexion-distraction alone, medical conservative care alone, and a combination of both, pain relieving results for all groups were clinically significant. The combination group - flexion distraction and medical conservative care - had the most significant pain relief which is clinically understood. In the clinical setting, flexion-distraction is typically combined with other modalities in the treatment plan. (3)

The second study was a clinical comparison study of low back pain patients cared for with chiropractic flexion-distraction versus medical physical therapy treatment conducted at National University of Health Sciences with Loyola Stritch School of Medicine. 

• http://www.nuhs.edu/show.asp?durki=335
• published initial results: http://www.springerlink.com/content/f32603l877144k77/?p=1ba95a15a905467b8ed4080941ee22e6&pi=4
• published follow-up results: http://chiroandosteo.com/content/14/1/19
• published follow-up results: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1574327/?tool=pmcentrez

The third study was a clinical comparison study of cervical spine pain patients cared for with chiropractic flexion-distraction versus medical physical therapy treatment conducted at National University of Health Sciences with Loyola Stritch School of Medicine and Palmer Center for Research.
http://www.nuhs.edu/show.asp?durki=336

In 2003, a chiropractic research grant (funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research) was awarded. The purpose of this randomized clinical trial is to assess the relative effectiveness of three conservative treatment approaches for seniors with chronic low back pain: 1) chiropractic manual treatment plus home exercise, 2) supervised exercise plus home exercise and 3) home exercise alone.  

In 2004, a grant (funded by Health Resources and Services Administrationb 4) was awarded to do a comparison study of flexion distraction (low velocity variable amplitude), chiropractic (HVLA) and medical care of elderly patients’ low back pain. Under its principal investigator, Dr. William Meeker, it was completed at Palmer Center for Research in cooperation with the University of Iowa.

• http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00602901?term=hrsa&rank=2n  

• http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00285649?term=palmer+college+of+chiropractic&rank=5
• published results: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18990046?dopt=Abstract

In 2009, a grant (funded by Palmer College of Chiropractic and National Institute for Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) was awarded for this project. Under its principal investigator, Dr. Christine Choate at Palmer, the objective of this study is to assess the effects of high-velocity low-amplitude spinal manipulation and low-velocity variable amplitude spinal manipulation on three types of sensorimotor abilities in patients with low back pain. 

• http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00475787?term=flexion+distraction&rank=2
• Hear Dr. Dougherty's presentation - http://apha.confex.com/apha/136am/webprogram/Paper169217.html

In this project (funded by HRSA R18HP07641) titled "Spinal Manipulative Therapy versus Active Exercise Therapy for chronic lower back pain: A randomized clinical trial with subgroup analyses," the researchers are comparing the effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy with active exercise therapy in chronic pain patients. Paul Dougherty, DC, of the New York College of Chiropractic, is the principal investigator.

Contact Johnson Chiropractic today.