• DeBoer KF

• Rabbits
• Subluxation

The purpose of this project was to develop an animal model for induction of vertebral lesions (chiropractic subluxations) by mechanical manipulation (by use of a mechanical vertebral adjusting "gun"). Three examiners, (under blind controls) palpated eight rabbits two and one half weeks before and two and one half weeks after manipulation. Vertebral lesions detected on the basis of standard palpatory means were ranked on an arbitrary scale of zero (0) to three (3); wherin 0 = no detected lesions and 3 = severe or gross lesions. Attemps were made to induce lesions at C1, and either T2, T5 or T8 in all rabbits. Following manipulation there was a statistically significant higher "vertebral lesion score." Agreement of postmanipulative findings were considered marginally significant by use of (a) concordance, (b) Pearson r correlation coefficients, and (c) weighted percent agreement. It was concluded that on the basis of this study, it should be feasible to develop a reasonably accurate model for evaluation of vertebral lesions in laboratory animals. However, due to the postmanipulative marginal significance of the findings, further comparative studies are indicated before any final conclusions can be drawn.

Author keywords: chiropractic, animal research reliability study, vertebral subluxation lesion induction, palpatory measurement, chiropractic mechanical manipulation

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