An exploratory pilot study to design and assess the credibility of a sham kinesiology treatment.
BACKGROUND
Kinesiology is a complementary therapy assessing subtle change in manual muscle testing results to select individualised treatments. We report the exploratory 2-stage development and pilot of a sham kinesiology treatment for use in a clinical trial to evaluate the specific effects of this intervention.


OBJECTIVE
1. To design, pilot and assess the credibility of a sham kinesiology treatment in a kinesiology-aware population. 2. To pilot the sham kinesiology in a cross-over study of sham versus real kinesiology, and to make an exploratory assessment of its credibility in a kinesiology-naïve population.


METHODS
1. 10 kinesiology-aware volunteers received a specially designed sham treatment weekly for 5 weeks which was subject to a credibility assessment. 2. 10 kinesiology-naïve patients with low back pain were randomised to receive 4 real and 4 sham treatments in a cross-over design; the treatments were subject to a credibility assessment.


RESULTS
100% of participants found the sham protocol a credible treatment as measured by the credibility questionnaire. 100% of patients having real treatment first did not recognise that the second set of treatments were sham. Small numbers precluded the use of formal statistical tests.


CONCLUSIONS
In this small sample it appeared feasible to deliver an apparently credible sham kinesiology treatment. This feasibility study has allowed us to develop a sham treatment for use in a larger prospective clinical trial of kinesiology in patients with low back pain.
Hall
Sue
S
Complementary Medicine Research Unit, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, United Kingdom. s.s.hall@southampton.ac.uk
Lewith
George
G
Brien
Sarah
S
Little
Paul
P
D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018953:Kinesiology, Applied / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos / Q000592:standards*; D012107:Research Design
D010919:Placebos