Running posture and step length changes immediately after chiropractic treatment in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum.
OBJECTIVE
This case study reports on selected measures of locomotion (running) in a 5-year-old patient with xeroderma pigmentosum after chiropractic care.


METHODS
A 5-year-old female patient (16.4 kg, 99.1 cm) with xeroderma pigmentosum (type A) volunteered to participate in the experiment with the consent of her parents. The patient had well-documented signs of delayed fine motor (eg, difficulty with writing, coloring, cutting) and gross motor control (eg, balance and coordination dysfunction and falling while running), and delayed speech.


RESULTS
Trunk forward lean angles, step lengths, and hip horizontal translations were assessed by video as the participant ran as fast as possible down a laboratory runway. After chiropractic manipulation (adjustments), the patient reduced the trunk forward lean angle to become more vertical (P = .000). In addition, the patient experienced an increase in step length (P = .031). No significant change in lateral translation was observed after the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
For this patient with xeroderma pigmentosum, chiropractic manipulation (adjustments) resulted in immediate changes in running performance. Further investigation is needed to examine the effect of chiropractic on locomotion in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.
Smith
Dean L
DL
Essence of Wellness Chiropractic Center, Eaton, Ohio 45320, USA. drdean@essenceofwellness.com
Walsh
Mark
M
Smith
Jane P
JP
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D026882:Manipulation, Chiropractic; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014983:Xeroderma Pigmentosum / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*