Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand how to eff ectively perform joint traction by analyzing the distance change of the joint space (separation distance) induced by continuous traction of the knee joint. Method: A total of 42 healthy subjects were divided into three groups based on traction strength (100, 150, and 200 N group). We then analyzed the separation distance using ultrasound images of the joint space, before and during knee joint traction (5, 10, 30, 60, 120, 180 s) at 50° fl exion angle. Result: All groups showed statistically significant separation immediately after the start of the traction; however, separation distance did not change over time in the 100 N group. On the other hand, we observed a signifi cant chronological increase in separation distance in the 150 N and 200 N groups at 10 s after the start of the traction. There were no significant differences in separation distances among the three groups for 5 s and 10 s; however, after 30 s, separation distances in the 150 N and 200 N groups were signifi cantly greater than that of the 100 N group. Conclusion: These results suggest that extending the connective tissue of the knee joint using traction requires traction strengths greater than 100 N and traction times longer than 10 s.

Study Design Descriptive bibliometric analysis. Background Content and bibliometric studies are useful for describing the publication patterns of a given profession, such as physical therapy, within the medical and allied health fields. However, few studies have conducted these analyses on specialty physical therapy journals. Objectives To conduct a content and bibliometric assessment of publications within the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) and report publication and citation trends over multiple years. Methods All available JOSPT manuscripts published from 1980 through 2009 were reviewed. Only research reports, topical reviews, and case reports were included in the current analysis. Articles were coded by 2 independent reviewers based on type, participant characteristics, research design, purpose, clinical condition, and intervention. We obtained additional citation information (eg, authors and institutions) from a subset of articles published from 1992 through 2009 using bibliometric software. Results Of the 2233 available JOSPT publications, 1732 (77.6%) met criteria for inclusion. Of these, 1172 (67.7%) were research reports, 351 (20.3%) topical reviews, and 209 (12.1%) case reports. Over the last 30 years there has been a significant increase in the number of articles published and the percentage of research reports, systematic reviews, articles focused on prognosis, and articles including symptomatic participants. Percentage decreases were observed for topical or nonsystematic reviews and articles focused on anatomy/physiology. Top institutions, authors, and cited papers from 1992 through 2009 were identified in the bibliometric analyses. Conclusion JOSPT has shown publication trends for increased percentage of experimental and clinically relevant research. However, there may be a need for increased publication of randomized controlled trials and studies focused on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, if goals of evidence-based practice are to be met. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2011;41(12):920–931. doi:10.2519/JOSPT.2011.3808

Background: Article characteristics and trends have been elucidated for other physical therapy-focused journals using content and bibliometric analysis. These findings are important for assessing the current state of a journal and for guiding future publication of research. To date, these analyses have not been performed for the Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy (JMMT). Objective: To describe content and trends for articles published in JMMT over a 20-year period (1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012). Methods: Journal articles were coded using previously-established domains (article type, participant type, research design, study purpose, and clinical condition). Total publications and proportion of publications based on domain were described. Articles specific to manual therapy intervention were examined and compared to data from other physical therapy-focused journals. Impact by citation and author was examined using bibliometric software. Results: Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy was found to have a recent acceleration in the number of articles published annually. Over time, topical reviews have decreased in favor of research reports. However, rigorous study designs have represented only a small portion of total journal content, and case reports have maintained a consistent publication presence. Manual therapy intervention articles in JMMT are predominantly case designs, however are similar in characteristics to manual therapy intervention articles published in other physical therapy-focused journals. For JMMT articles overall and manual therapy intervention articles across journals, young to middle-aged symptomatic adults with low back and/or neck pain were the most common study participants. Discussion: Increases in the number of papers and a move toward research reports were observed in JMMT over the 20-year period. Considerations for the future were outlined, including the publication of articles with more rigorous research designs. Manual therapy research for adolescents and older adults and for upper and lower extremity conditions should also be considered as priorities for the future.Keywords: Content, Bibliometric, Analysis, Trends, Manual therapy, Intervention IntroductionThe Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy (JMMT), currently the official journal of five international manual therapy associations, 1 is an important journal for disseminating manual therapy-related research in physical therapy. The mission of JMMT is to publish 'original research, case reports, and reviews of the literature that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of manual therapy, clinical research, therapeutic practice, and academic training'. information about publication strengths and weaknesses which, in turn, may help drive future research and journal content. To our knowledge, however, a comprehensive bibliometric study has not been performed in a journal devoted to manual therapy. While both JOSPT and PTJ...