Editorial Type: ORIGINAL ARTICLES
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Online Publication Date: 01 Oct 2011

Faculty Perception of Clinical Value of Five Commonly Used Orthopedic Tests

DC,
DC, and
MSc, MPH, DrPH
Article Category: Research Article
Page Range: 164 – 168
DOI: 10.7899/1042-5055-25.2.164
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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of the value of five orthopedic tests (straight leg raise, Braggard's test, Kemp's test, Valsalva maneuver, and Patrick's fabere test) in the diagnosis of specific neuromusculoskeletal conditions among the chiropractic faculty at a large chiropractic college. Methods: This is an observational study that employed a survey of 41 academic and clinic faculty members with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. Results: Of the 12 posed questions, only five demonstrated statistically significant consistency (positive straight leg raise for the presence of disc pathology, positive Valsalva maneuver for the presence of disc pathology, negative Valsalva maneuver to rule out disc pathology, negative Braggard's test to rule out the presence of disc pathology, and positive Patrick's fabere test for the presence of hip joint pathology). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the school of graduation may be the only predictor of consistency. Conclusion: There were strong indications that faculty members were not consistent in their perception of the value for common orthopedic tests for diagnosing specific conditions. In an evidence-based model of education, there should be a consensus among academic and clinical faculty in order for the students to learn, integrate, and apply in practice what they have learned in the classroom. Active intervention in the academic process is required to accomplish necessary change.

Copyright: © 2011 Association of Chiropractic Colleges 2011

Contributor Notes

About the Authors

Steven Kleinfield is a professor in the Department of Diagnosis and Clinical Applications, Dwain Daniel is a professor in the Department of Research and a research/faculty liaison, and Harrison Ndetan is an assistant professor and biostatistician in the Department of Research, all with Parker College of Chiropractic.

Address correspondence to Steven Kleinfield, Parker College of Chiropractic, 2500 Walnut Hill Lane, Dallas, TX 75229 (e-mail: sklnfld@ParkerCC.edu).
Received: 25 Jun 2010
Accepted: 16 Sept 2010
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