Study shows true chiropractic manipulation improves OVX-related bone loss in rats

October 13, 2017—For years, chiropractors have used chiropractic manipulation to create positive effects for many patients. A recent study, first published in Calcified Tissue International, offers new, empirical data looking specifically at the effect of chiropractic manipulation on levels of osteoporotic bone loss. The study opens new options for research and application of chiropractic manipulation for a growing patient group suffering from bone density changes related to aging or other factors.

Study overview

For the study, researchers in Spain created a variety of test groups of 6-month old Sprague-Dawley rats. A first test group underwent an ovariectomy (OVX) operation, while a second test group underwent a sham operation. Both groups were further divided into sub-groups receiving true chiropractic manipulation with the Activator V(TM), false manipulation (FM), or no manipulation (NM).

Throughout the study, bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), mechano growth factors (MGF), and bone densitometry (DXA) were measured and calculated for all subjects.

Results

The data findings of the study show that true chiropractic manipulation improves OVX-related bone loss in rats. More specifically, Activator V adjustment in the tibial tubercle of the hind limb produced higher BMD and BMC in both the distal femur and the proximal tibia of OVX-TM rats.

Going further, the study also looks at whether the improvement in bone mass for OVX rats is related to parallel changes in bone structure elicited by chiropractic manipulation. Relative to the FM and NM sub-groups, data for the OVX groups receiving true manipulation shows a significant improvement of these bone structure parameters (BV/TV, Tb.N and Tb.S) at all studied skeletal locations.

Finally, the study considers how chiropractic manipulation might impact MGF protein expressions in the muscle systems of the rats. Higher levels of MGF protein occurred in the skeletal muscles of the OVX-TM rats compared to the OVX-FM rats, confirming the local action of Activator V in counteracting the low muscle MGF protein expression in OVX rats.

In conclusion, the findings of this study support the notion that true chiropractic manipulation can improve the osteoporotic bone at least in part by targeting skeletal muscle. This supports research into new avenues in true application of chiropractic manipulation in bone loss-related situations.

Source: Activator Methods International