Effects of Chiropractic Care in Patients With Hip Osteoarthritis

Effects of Chiropractic Care on Pain and Function in Patients With Hip Osteoarthritis Waiting for Arthroplasty - a Controlled Clinical Pilot Trial

The purpose of the study is to explore the short term effects of chiropractic care on pain and function in patients with hip osteoarthritis.

Research over the last years have reported a scarce of trails investigating chiropractic treatment of lower extremities. Osteoarthritis, also called joint failure, is a common rheumatic joint disease often affecting the hipjoint, contributing to pain, decreased mobility and loss of function. Individuals with osteoarthritis can also be affected in many other ways, e.g. economically, socially and emotionally. Chiropractic care may be considered as a complement to the conventional allopathic treatment of hip osteoarthritis. Joint manipulation is a well-established treatment technique to restore optimal joint function of the locomotor system. The aim of the study is to explore the effects of chiropractic vs. continued conventional care (waiting list controls) on pain and function during a three week trail period among patients with hip osteoarthritis waiting for arthroplasty.

Clinical examinations and treatments were performed at the outpatient clinic. The patients were assessed and treated by research assistants and the clinical care was supervised by state registered chiropractors. The choice of therapy and modality was pragmatic and based on the analysis of different functions such as mobility, tenderness, muscle tension and tone, and each patient's relative symptoms. Chiropractic care included high-velocity and low-amplitude techniques, soft-tissue or myofascial techniques, and arthrokinematic stabilizing exercises or a combination of these. Patients were treated in 1-2 sessions per week during the trial.

The five sub-scales of the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS), i.e. pain, other symptoms, function in daily living (ADL), function in sport and recreation (sport/rec) and hip related Quality of life (QOL)

Inclusion Criteria: waiting for first time unilateral arthroplasty on the affected side Exclusion Criteria: documented osteoporosis, current pathology such as malignancy, infection, cardiovascular disease, stroke and femoral fractures on affected side