Prevalence of injuries among students during technique class: A retrospective study

Background: Injuries have been reported among chiropractic students while learning technique procedures. It is very important to identify the types and characteristics of these injuries to develop the strategies for prevention. A literature review revealed few studies with similar objectives.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine characteristics of injuries experienced by students while in the role of adjustor as well as the recipient of adjustments while learning techniques in the classroom.

Methods: IRB approval was obtained to administer a survey among the chiropractic students in fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh trimesters of Chiropractic College. Questions included age, gender, role, anatomical areas of injury, adjustive technique utilized, types of injury, treatment if any and recovery time. This survey also includes the questions about type and area of past injuries. Data was entered into SPSS for analysis.

Results: Results indicated that women in the role of adjustor were most likely to be injured compared to men in the role of being adjusted or of adjustor or women being adjusted. The most common site for injury was the upper extremity. The most common areas of injury when students were in the role of being adjusted were low back and neck. Some injuries became chronic; however, most resolved after a few weeks. Conclusion: These study results will be used to develop strategies to improve teaching methods to reduce the incidence of injuries in chiropractic technique classes.