Efficacy of Instrumental Chiropractic Treatment Using Activator Methods for Pain and Dysfunction in Juvenile Athletes

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of the study is to prove efficacy of instrumental chiropractic treatment for leg pain in juvenile athletes. A randomized placebo controlled clinical trial including juvenile athletes with functional impairment and pain in thigh, leg or foot is performed. Hypothesis: Instrumental chiropractic treatment with the activator instrument following the activator methods diagnostic evaluation should lead to significant improvement of complaints and functional impairment compared to the control group treated by a deactivated instrument following a sham evaluation protocol.

Detailed Description
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Pain and functional impairment may force young athletes to interrupt training plans and/or even stay away from competition. Usually elite athletes run through an abundance of tests and diagnostic features-too often these high cost diagnostics don´t provide useful information for treatment. Treating the symptoms in the first place (after ruling out severe pathology) will reduce the need for extensive diagnostic routines and bring athletes back to competition earlier. In our outpatient department of young elite sportsmen chiropractic instrumental treatment is performed routinely- mostly a pain reduction of 3-4 levels in VAS is achieved within the first session of treatment. The following study is thought to prove the efficacy of the Chiropractic Instrumental Treatment performed at our sports-medicine outpatient department.

Official Title
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Efficacy of Instrumental Chiropractic Treatment Using Activator Methods for Pain and Dysfunction.A Randomized Placebo-controlled Clinical Study on Juvenile Athletes With Leg Pain

Conditions
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Knee Sprain, Pain in Leg, Unspecified

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Activator IV (Activator Methods Int. Phoenix, Arizona)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: functional problems in the lower extremities Exclusion Criteria: severe pathology that requires different treatment

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 10 Years
Maximum Age: 17 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Placebo Comparator: Placebo-Activator<br>Treatment with Placebo Activator IV | Device: Activator IV (Activator Methods Int. Phoenix, Arizona)<br>* Instruments gives a defined impulse on specified areas of the body<br>* Other names: Chiropractic adjusting instrument;|
| Active Comparator: Activator<br>Treatment with Activator IV adjusting instrument | Device: Activator IV (Activator Methods Int. Phoenix, Arizona)<br>* Instruments gives a defined impulse on specified areas of the body<br>* Other names: Chiropractic adjusting instrument;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reduction of Pain |  | 1 week | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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knee, hip, ankle, foot, pain, lower limb, activator, instrumental, chiropractic, Painful functional conditions of the lower extremity