The Educational Value of Evidence-Based Research While the team discovered improved movement times in participants with neck pain who received spinal manipulation therapy, their research also revealed something else. John Ellis (left) and Jonathan Emlet
When Jonathan Emlet and John Ellis graduate from Logan College of Chiropractic/University Programs, they’ll have something that most
“Going into the study, I had an idea that we would find the chiropractic adjustment to have a significant effect on movement times in symptomatic participants, but we also found a significant change in movement times with non-symptomatic participants,” said Emlet. “I enjoyed working on a topic that is relatively untouched in the chiropractic research realm and knowing our study’s findings could have a positive impact on the profession.”
“There’s something very gratifying about knowing firsthand what I’m doing is effective,” said Ellis. “When I graduate, I can adjust with confidence knowing the technique works because I helped to validate its benefits through research.”
Student Research at Logan
of their peers don’t—published research as well as an award from the Association of Chiropractic Colleges and Research Agenda Conference (ACC-RAC). Dr. Kevin Ward
Along with Dr. Kevin Ward, who graduated from Logan in August 2011, Emlet and Ellis volunteered their time to continue an ongoing line of research into the effects of spinal manipulation therapy on Fitts’ Law Performance.
Building on research that Dean of Logan’s Research Division Dr. Rodger Tepe conducted in 2010, their objective was to determine whether or not chiropractic adjustments had any effect on reaction times of participants both with and without neck pain.
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SCIENCE AND NATURE ALIGNED IN BALANCE
The abstract, “A Single Blind Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Spinal Manipulative Therapy on Fitts’ Law Performance in Participants With and Without Neck Pain,” was published in the Journal of Chiropractic Education. The full research manuscript has been submitted to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics for peer review.
While the hard work and determination of Emlet, Ellis and Dr. Ward is reflected in their abstract’s publication and recognition at ACC-RAC, they offer accolades to Dr. Tepe for his mentorship and for creating an inviting and collaborative environment for student research to occur. “One of the reasons why I chose Logan was the institution’s emphasis on research,” Emlet said. “As soon as I began the doctorate program, I got in contact with Dr. Tepe and let him know that I was interested in conducting research, and that I was willing to begin as soon as possible.”