Assessment of Chiropractic Treatment Using Reaction and Response Times in Members of the Special Operation Forces (ACT2)

RanD

Status

Completed

Conditions

Physiological Measurements of Response and Reaction Times

Treatments

Other: Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy

Other: Wait-list

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT02168153

2012-0352 (Registry Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate changes in reaction times (RTs) and response times (RespTs) following chiropractic treatment compared to controls in the Special Forces Qualified (SFQ) population, including Special Operation Forces who are part of the 160th SOAR regiment on flight status.

Full description

The Assessment of Chiropractic Treatment 2 (ACT2) assesses changes in reaction/response times following Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy (CMT) using a randomized controlled trial in members of SFQ or SOAR. This population is faced with simultaneous physiological and cognitive demands. The ability to give an accurate and appropriate motor response in a short time is required for successful completion of the types of missions they are expected to undertake.

It is possible that chiropractic care can improve performance in reaction and response times in populations that have low back pain and in populations that are asymptomatic. One possible theory for improvement, even in asymptomatic persons, is that they may have experienced an insult or stress to the body which is subclinical but alters their ability to function in an optimal manner. Thus a person may be asymptomatic and able to accomplish many activities in a normal manner, but when stressed to the limits of maximum capability, the effects of subclinical abnormalities may cause that person to function at a less than optimal level. If CMT is able to restore normal, more efficient mechanisms of functioning, it is therefore possible that the performance of challenging tasks could be improved.

Enrollment

120 patients

Sex

All

Ages

20+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Age range at least 20 years of age
Written informed consent
Active duty SFQ personnel or Special Operation Forces who are part of the 160th SOAR regiment on flight status stationed at the Ft. Campbell, KY military site

Exclusion criteria

Pain Intensity (NIH's PROMIS- question #29) > 4 at the Initial Visit
Additional diagnostic procedure needed (e.g. x-ray)
Bone and joint pathology contraindications for CMT. Potential participants with recent spinal fracture, concurrent spinal or paraspinal tumor(s), spinal or paraspinal infection(s), inflammatory arthropathies and significant osteoporosis will be referred for appropriate care.
Other contraindications for CMT (i.e., unstable spinal segments, cauda equina syndrome)
Currently being treated for traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Reasonable chance that within 2-4 weeks of initial participation they may be unable to complete the study, i.e., deployment, receive orders for a distant duty assignment or training site or otherwise be absent from the current military site over the study participation period.
Received care from a Doctor of Chiropractic within the past 30 days.
Pregnant or planning to become pregnant within 4 weeks.