Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal
We celebrate those who do the work to build our collective knowledge base by researching and writing their PhD thesis. Here are some of the best:
Demystifying Contemporary Chiropractic Professional Identity
TANJA GLUCINA: The establishment of a clear professional identity within the chiropractic field is of paramount importance to facilitate effective collaboration, streamlined communication, and the realisation of a unified vision for the future. The utilisation of a validated instrument such as the 15-item CPIES, either as a comprehensive unidimensional scale, or by employing its component subscales to assess various aspects of CPI, can significantly expedite this process. The profound implications of gaining a deeper understanding and assessing CPI extend to enhancing career success and overall satisfaction for chiropractic professionals. This research ultimately contributes practical solutions and innovative insights into the complicated construct of CPI with far-reaching implications for practitioners, educators, and the chiropractic profession as a whole.
Daniel David Palmer's heritage and his legacy of tone to Chiropractic
DONALD McDOWALL: This investigation concluded that: influenced by his heritage, Palmer used well-thought-out strategies to promote his work which enabled chiropractic to expand exponentially; Palmer’s analogy of music to help others understand tone, has been largely overlooked; although chiropractic has flourished from its inception, the concept of tone began to wane from 1903 and by 1961 was of limited interest. This research determined that Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, is an important individual from the past who was influenced by his heritage. While Palmer’s principle of tone was the foundation for chiropractic, by 1961 his concept of tone had been largely lost, even though chiropractic continued to thrive.
The meaning and value of vitalism in Chiropractic
DENNIS RICHARDS: This study explored what vitalism means to chiropractors and what value it might offer in addressing current global prevalence of non-communicable lifestyle-related conditions. A mixed methodology design of qualitative and quantitative research methods involved interviews of 18 international key informants followed by online surveying of chiropractors in Australia and New Zealand. To a majority, vitalism meant innate intelligence, a traditional form of vitalism, a guide to a good life, and an essence of the identity of chiropractic. It offered great value in addressing non-communicable lifestyle related conditions. To a minority, vitalism meant an obsolete and unscientific doctrine of no value.
The effect of Chiropractic manual therapy on the spine, hip and knee
HENRY POLLARD: This thesis examined the effect of commonly used manual therapy protocols on the range of motion (ROM) of the hip joint. I have demonstrated that the two stretching treatments both increased hip ROM but only the spinal group was significant. These results help to document for the first time the effect of several clinical protocols used by manual therapists to increase the ROM at the hip joint. I conclude that manipulation of the hip should be considered in protocols trying to achieve increased hip ROM, and that treatment of the spine demonstrated an improvement in peripheral joint function of the hip.
The measurement and correction of sacral obliquity
JOHN DULHUNTY: The study developed, tested and validated algorithms to calculate true dihedral angles from angles measured on radiographic images. The algorithms were designed for when the protocols developed to ensure reliable measurement of angular relationships were not met or were unable to be adhered to. The measurement of sacral obliquity on radiographic images was to develop algorithms to calculate the amount of correction needed to level the sacral base in upright standing and sitting postures.
