Objective: The purpose of this report is to describe the response of a geriatric patient with low back pain and a history of leukemia, multiple compression fractures, osteoporosis, and degenerative joint disease using Activator chiropractic technique. Case Report: An 83-year-old man who is the primary caretaker for his disabled wife had low back pain after lifting her into a truck. The patient had a history of leukemia, multiple compression fractures, osteoporosis, and degenerative joint disease. His Revised Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire was 26%, with a 10/10 pain rating at its worst on the Numeric Pain Scale. The patient presented with a left head tilt, right high shoulder, and right high ilium with anterior translation and flexion of the torso and spasm and tenderness from the lower thoracic spine to lumbar spine. Intervention and Outcome: The patient was cared for using Activator Methods protocol. After 8 treatments, the patient was stable and remained stable for 4 months without spasm or tenderness in his spine. His Revised Oswestry score dropped to 6%, with a 4/10 Numeric Pain Scale pain rating when at its worst; and the patient reported being able to take care of his wife. Conclusion: The findings of this case suggest that Activator-assisted spinal manipulative therapy had a positive effect on low back pain and function in an elderly patient with a complex clinical history.

Objective: The purpose of this case report is to describe the response to chiropractic care of a pediatric patient with complaints of neck pain; headaches; and hand, leg, and foot pain after head trauma and the reports of changes in the patient's history of chronic fatigue, vomiting, and coughing. Clinical Features: A 6-year-old girl was pushed into a playground slide, hitting her head and resulting in acute complaints of her "neck and brain hurting" and hand, foot, and occasional leg pain. In addition, the patient had a several-year history of unexplained fatigue, vomiting, and coughing spells. She had a neck pain disability index of 17.8%; left lateral and rotational head tilt; cervical antalgic lean; loss of cervical range of motion; anterior cervical translation; and spasm, tenderness, trigger points, and edema along the cervical and thoracic spine. Intervention and Outcome: The patient was cared for using Activator Methods protocol. After the fifth treatment, all the patient's symptoms dissipated, with a complete return to normal activity and spinal stability after 9 treatments. At 19 weeks, her spine continued to be asymptomatic; and her neck disability index was 0%. Conclusion: This case demonstrated that the Activator Method of chiropractic care had a beneficial effect for this pediatric patient.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to report the response of chiropractic care of a geriatric veteran with degenerative disk disease and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Clinical Features: A 74-year-old man presented with low back pain (LBP) and loss of feeling in his lower extremities for 3 months. The LBP was of insidious onset with a 10/10 pain rating on the numeric pain scale (NPS) and history of degenerative disk disease and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hypertrophy. Oswestry questionnaire was 44% and health status questionnaire was 52%, which were below average for his age. The patient presented with antalgia and severe difficulty with ambulation and thus used a walker. Intervention and Outcome: Chiropractic care included Activator Methods protocol. Two weeks into treatment, he reported no back pain; and after 4 treatments, he was able to walk with a cane instead of a walker. The NPS decreased from a 10/10 to a 0/10, and his Revised Oswestry score decreased from 44/100 to 13.3/100. His Health Status Questionnaire score increased 25 points to 77/100, bringing him from below average for his age to above average for his age. Follow-up with the patient at approximately 1 year and 9 months showed an Oswestry score of 10/100 and a Health Status Questionnaire score of 67/100, still above average for his age. Conclusion: The findings in this case study showed that Activator-assisted spinal manipulative therapy had positive subjective and objective results for LBP and ambulation in a geriatric veteran with degenerative disk disease and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.