Rowley, S. W.  The Effects of Chiropractic Manipulation on Motor Neuron Activity and Athletic Performance (2004).

The purpose of this experiment was to determine if chiropractic manipulation effects motor neuron activity and athletic performance in collegiate lacrosse athletes. Specifically, it tested if chiropractic treatment would enhance speed, strength, and coordination. The hypothesis was that chiropractic manipulation would enhance performance due to the elimination of subluxations. This hypothesis is based on the rationale that the fewer subluxations there are, the better able myotactic units can function, thereby increasing the efficiency of muscle recruitment. The experiment involved eight male lacrosse players ranging in age from 19 to 22 years that were split into two groups. One group received biweekly chiropractic treatment for ten weeks, while the other group received mock adjustments; both groups participated in a series of tests. Every other week, performance tests (forty-yard dash for speed, dot drill for coordination, and one repetition maximum squat for strength) were conducted, and once per month chiropractic measurements (paraspinal EMG asymmetry, paraspinal temperature asymmetry, and range of motion) were made. The results showed that there was no effect (p<0.05) of chiropractic treatment on any of the measurements. It was concluded that chiropractic treatment has no effect on speed, strength, or coordination in lacrosse players during the competitive season. It was speculated that this is due to lacrosse being a contact sport that frequently results in new subluxations.

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