BACKGROUND: On average, women weigh less, have a smaller frame, and are less muscular than men. Since the peak thrust force applied during spinal manipulative treatments can be quite high and must be reached in a very short period of time, one might question the physical ability of women to generate such high forces. OBJECTIVE: To study the forces generated by male and female chiropractors as they deliver spinal manipulation to the thoracic spine. METHODS: Fourteen male and 14 female experience-matched chiropractors participated in this study. They each manipulated 1 of 9 asymptomatic male adult subjects of similar height and weight. The clinicians were asked to manipulate a transverse process in the vicinity of T4 and T9. Any technique could be used as long as the treatment thrust was in a posterior to anterior direction and the hand contact fit onto the sensor pad (area = 100 cm2). RESULTS: There were no significant differences (P<.05) between male and female chiropractors for any measurements in the upper thoracic area. For the lower thoracic manipulations, the preload forces for the male chiropractors were significantly greater (P<.05) than those for the female chiropractors. The remaining variables were the same between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Female chiropractors produce, from a mechanical point of view, similar manual treatments as their male colleagues.
BACKGROUND: On average, women weigh less, have a smaller frame, and are less muscular than men. Since the peak thrust force applied during spinal manipulative treatments can be quite high and must be reached in a very short period of time, one might question the physical ability of women to generate such high forces. OBJECTIVE: To study the forces generated by male and female chiropractors as they deliver spinal manipulation to the thoracic spine. METHODS: Fourteen male and 14 female experience-matched chiropractors participated in this study. They each manipulated 1 of 9 asymptomatic male adult subjects of similar height and weight. The clinicians were asked to manipulate a transverse process in the vicinity of T4 and T9. Any technique could be used as long as the treatment thrust was in a posterior to anterior direction and the hand contact fit onto the sensor pad (area = 100 cm2). RESULTS: There were no significant differences (P<.05) between male and female chiropractors for any measurements in the upper thoracic area. For the lower thoracic manipulations, the preload forces for the male chiropractors were significantly greater (P<.05) than those for the female chiropractors. The remaining variables were the same between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Female chiropractors produce, from a mechanical point of view, similar manual treatments as their male colleagues.
Authors: Edward F Owens; Ronald S Hosek; Stephanie G B Sullivan; Brent S Russell; Linda E Mullin; Lydia L Dever Journal: J Chiropr Educ Date: 2015-11-24
Authors: William R Reed; Joel G Pickar; Randall S Sozio; Michael A K Liebschner; Joshua W Little; Maruti R Gudavalli Journal: J Manipulative Physiol Ther Date: 2017-06-17 Impact factor: 1.437