• Morgan WE
• Morgan CP

• Adult
• Brain Injuries
• Male
• Manipulation, Spinal
• Military Personnel
• Open Access Document
• Ossification, Heterotopic

Objective: The purpose of this case report is to describe the use of chiropractic care for a patient with neurogenic heterotopic ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament in the cervical spine and soft tissues of the right hip after a traumatic brain injury and right femur fracture.

Clinical Features: A 25-year-old military officer was referred to a hospital-based chiropractic clinic with complaints of pain and stiffness of the neck and back along with reduced respiratory excursions that began several months after a motor vehicle accident in which he had a traumatic brain injury. The patient had a fractured right femur from the accident, which had since been treated surgically, but had complications of heterotopic ossification in the soft tissues of the hip. His overall pain level was 3 of 10 on a verbal pain scale during use of oxycodone HCL/acetaminophen. Chest excursion was initially measured at .5 cm.

Intervention and Outcome: With the intent to restore respiratory chest motion and to reduce the patient's back and neck pain, the patient was placed on a program of chiropractic and myofascial manipulation, exercise therapy, and respiratory therapy. After a year of care, the patient rated overall pain at 3 of 10 verbal pain scale level but was no longer taking medications for pain and an increase in respiratory chest excursions measured at 3.5 cm.

Conclusion: This case demonstrated that chiropractic treatment provided benefit to a patient with heterotopic ossification concurrent with musculoskeletal pain.

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