John Reggars

• OAM, DC, MChiroSc
• Lecturer at Murdoch University

As this year’s flu season gets into full swing, now is as good a time as any to consider our role in strategies aimed at preventing community-acquired infections and in maintaining the health of our clinic populations, especially in the light of our respective responsibilities as clinicians and/or clinic owners. While it is reasonable to expect th...

Chiropractic in Australia has seen many changes over the past 30 years. Some of these changes have advanced the professional status of chiropractic, improved undergraduate training and paved the way for a research culture. Unfortunately, other changes or lack of changes, have hindered the growth, public utilisation and professional standing of chir...

Cochrane systematic review. To assess the effects of superficial heat and cold therapy for low back pain in adults. Heat and cold are commonly used in the treatment of low back pain. We searched electronic databases from inception to October 2005. Two authors independently assessed inclusion, methodologic quality, and extracted data, using the crit...

To document the number of journal publications attributed to the academic faculty of Australian chiropractic tertiary institutions. To provide a discussion of the significance of this output and to relate this to the difficulty the profession appears to be experiencing in the uptake of evidence based healthcare outcomes and cultures. The department...

Heat and cold are commonly utilised in the treatment of low-back pain by both health care professionals and people with low-back pain. To assess the effects of superficial heat and cold therapy for low-back pain in adults. We searched the Cochrane Back Review Group Specialised register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochra...

Obtaining the informed consent of a patient before undertaking chiropractic or osteopathic treatment is a common law requirement in Australia. This paper outlines the essential elements of informed consent and provides some practice tips on streamlining the process.

This article is the second in a series of articles dealing with risk management in the practise of chiropractic and osteopathy, prepared by the COCA Risk Management Subcommittee.Background: Radiographic examination carries risks that must be weighed against the possible benefits when determining patient care.Objective: The objective of this article...

This article is the second in a series of articles dealing with risk management in the practise of chiropractic and osteopathy, prepared by the COCA Risk Management Subcommittee. Background: Radiographic examination carries risks that must be weighed against the possible benefits when determining patient care. Objective: The objective of this artic...

Although rare, vertebrobasilar stroke is the best known of the possible side effects of cervical manipulation. Due to the serious sequelae that may result from cervical manipulation, chiropractors and osteopaths must take the appropriate steps to ensure the risk is minimised. This article outlines how the astute practitioner can minimise this risk....

Although rare, vertebrobasilar stroke is the best known of the possible side effects of cervical manipulation. Due to the serious sequelae that may result from cervical manipulation, chiropractors and osteopaths must take the appropriate steps to ensure the risk is minimised. This article outlines how the astute practitioner can minimise this risk....

The audible release or cracking sound associated with spinal manipulation is familiar to practitioners of spinal manipulative therapy. Furthermore, some authors believe the articular crack to be at least in part responsible for the therapeutic benefits derived from spinal manipulative therapy. Although some research has been directed towards the in...

Objective: To discuss a case of leptomenigeal disease mimicking a lower lumbar disc lesion and accompanying neurological deficit. Clinical Features: A 62 year old male presented with a 3-4 day history of left low back and left posterior thigh pain. The patient had a previous history of non-specific low back pain for approximately 10-25 years, which...

To review the available literature pertaining to the therapeutic benefits of the audible release associated with spinal manipulative therapy. A critical appraisal of the scientific literature, empirical evidence and theories relating to this aspect of manipulation is presented. A broad based search of the English language literature was conducted u...

To review the available literature pertaining to the recording and analysis of the joint crack/cavitation sound produced as a result of spinal manipulative therapy. A critical appraisal of the recording and analysis techniques is presented. A broad based search of the English language literature was conducted utilising the databases Medline (1966-1...

This research was designed to analyse the frequency spectra of joint crack sounds produced during spinal manipulative therapy applied to the upper cervical spine of 50 volunteers and to determine if the spectra differed between the sexes and or for those with a history of previous neck trauma compared with those without a history of trauma. Randomi...

This case report describes a relatively uncommon presentation of herpes zoster affecting the cutaneous distribution of the L2 spinal nerve. The coexistence of a previous history of leg pain, cortical thickening of the femoral shaft on plain film x-ray examination, and the absence, at the time of examination, of the tell tale rash of herpes zoster p...

Objectives: This research was designed to analyse the frequency spectra of joint crack sounds produced during spinal manipulative therapy applied to the upper cervical spine of 50 volunteers and to determine if the spectra differed between the sexes and or for those with a history of previous neck trauma compared with those without a history of tra...

To determine if there is a relationship between the side of head rotation and the side of joint crack during "diversified" rotatory manipulation of the cervical spine. Randomized experimental study. Macquarie University, Centre for Chiropractic, Summer Hill, New South Wales. Fifty asymptomatic subjects were recruited from the students and staff of...

A valuable an often overlooked or under utilised clinical test is that of tuning fork testing for vibratory sensation. This simple and inexpensive test can be a most valuable tool in the detection of certain diseases of the nervous system as well as an aid in the differentiation between functional and organic symptoms.

The co-existence of primary temporomandibular disorders and cervical spine dysfunction is well documented. This paper reviews the anatomy and function of the temporomandibular joint and its primary disorders with particular reference to their possible effects an the cervical spine.

It is not uncommon, within general practice, for patients to present with somatic or musculoskeletal pain of visceral origin. Furthermore patients may present with two separate and co-existing conditions within the same anatomical region making the clinical diagnosis confusing and complex. The following case study describes one such case which pres...

Chiropractors and other practitioners of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) are often called upon to treat the musculo-skeletal symptoms of patients suffering from a wide variety of rheumatological disorders. The SMT practitioner may be the primary contact, or alternatively these patients may seek help from the SMT practitioner after diagnosis from...

Buttock pain is often seen in chiropractic general practice, either as the only presenting symptom or as part of a symptom complex. The following flow chart has been prepared in an attempt to assist the clinician in arriving at an accurate diagnosis and aetiology.

A common clinical presentation in the Chiropractor's office is that of vague and unilateral paraesthesia of the wrist or hand. Often the patient is unable to identify any definite dermatomal pattern and in such cases an accurate diagnosis becomes somewhat difficult. The following paper, incorporating a flow chart, provides the clinician with a logi...

As chiropractors an important and common presentation seen in the clinical setting is cervicogenic headache. The entrenched vascular or psychosomatic models may not be the most common mechanism of headache. Rather a mechanism involving either joint dysfunction and/or soft tissue dysfunction appears to be a likely cause.

Background Heat and cold are commonly utilised in the treatment of low-back pain by both health care professionals and people with low-back pain. Objectives To assess the effects of superficial heat and cold therapy for low-back pain in adults. Search strategy We searched the Cochrane Back Review Group Specialised register, the Cochrane Central Reg...