title: [Analysis of X-rays of cervical imbalances syndrome before and after the treatment of osteopathy and traction intervention in 187 youth cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe X-ray features of before and after treatment of cervical imbalance syndrome with osteopathy and traction intervention in youth patients, then to investigate the clinical effect of the treatment of the cervical imbalances syndrome in youth by osteopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  From September 2007 to December 2010, one hundred and eighty-seven students of 19 to 22 years (means 21 years) with neck pain as the main symptom in Beijing university of Chinese medicine were selected and divide them into osteopathy group and traction groups randomly. In osteopathy group, there were 94 patients including 40 males and 54 females; in traction group, there were 93 patients including 42 males and 51 females. The treatment of osteopathy group lasted for 3 weeks,three times per week; traction group by traction treatment three weeks,three times a week, too. X-ray before treatment and 3 weeks after treatment were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The osteopathy group:94 cases, before treatment, abnormal curvature in 57 cases, spinous position change in 45 cases and angular displacement in 44 cases, vertebral sliding in 15 cases, Ruth Jackson line intersect proneness change in 70 cases,stretch change in 47 cases; after treatment, abnormal curvature in 35 cases, spinous position change in 24 cases and angular displacement in 18 cases, vertebral sliding in 3 cases, Ruth Jackson line intersect proneness change in 41 cases, extension change in 33 cases; X-Ray measurement results: cervical curvature improved from (7.070 +/- 4.629) degrees before treatment to (7.660 +/- 4.156) degrees after treatment, angular displacement improved from (13.790 +/- 2.590) degrees before treatment to (11.050 +/- 2.560) degrees after treatment; vertebral sliding improved from (3.770 +/- 0.350) mm before treatment to (3.160 +/- 0.485) mm after treatment. The change of angular displacement and vertebral sliding were so significant before and after treatment in this group, there were statistical defferences between before and after the treatment (P < 0.01) in osteopathy group. The traction group: 93 cases, before treatment,abnormal curvature in 60 cases, spinous position change in 39 cases and angular displacement in 39 cases, vertebral sliding in 15 cases, Ruth Jackson line intersect proneness change in 70 cases, stretch in 47 cases; after treatment,abnormal curvature in 50 cases, spinous position change in 29 cases and angular displacement in 17 cases; vertebral sliding in 3 cases, Ruth Jackson line intersect proneness change in 41 cases, stretch in 33 cases; X-Ray measurement results: cervical curvature improved from (5.590 +/- 4.639) degrees before treatment to (5.990 +/- 4.330) degrees after treatment, angular displacement improved from (13.360 +/- 2.064) degrees before treatment to (11.210 +/- 1.872) degrees after treatment; vertebral sliding improved from (3.790 +/- 0.339) mm before treatment to (3.480 +/- 0.332) mm after treatment. The change of angular displacement and vertebral sliding were also so significant in traction group before and after treatment, there were statistical defferences between before and after the treatment (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) Pathological changes can be called youth cervical imbalance syndrome. (2) Stress points, angular displacement, cervical vertebral slip, curvature straightened, spinous position change are main X-ray performances. (3) Both osteopathy and traction intervention on are efficient in youth neck pain. (4) Youths cervical vertebra imbalance is early but reversible performance.
authors.affiliation: The Third Affiliated Hospital to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, Chinese.
authors.forename: Qing-Fu
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zong-Ting
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chun-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Jun-Hai
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhao-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yin-Ze
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yue-Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: A-Di-Li
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D014143:Traction; D014965:X-Rays; D055815:Young Adult