The applications were reviewed by the Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) and assessed according to internal evaluation criteria in line with ECCRE’s operating principles. Each project is evaluated based on originality, significance of the work, scientific reliability, the applicant’s experience, facilities and support, appropriate use of funds, etc. In this evaluation round, all eight applications were considered to be of adequate quality.
Altogether, applicants requested a total of EUR 630,150, and the Board decided to fund the projects The Clinical Course of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (Michelle Frederiksen, EUR 40,489) and Proprioceptive Weighting as a Predictor of Spinal Manipulation Outcomes in Chronic Low Back Pain (Michael Meier, EUR 106,700).
The goal of the research project The Clinical Course of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy is to improve early recognition of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) by raising awareness among clinicians, enabling them to identify the condition sooner and for patients to receive optimal care regardless of where they are seen, whether in chiropractic practice or at a specialized hospital.
To effectively address this challenge, the project will establish a clinical cohort of 1000 older adults with neck pain referred to an outpatient hospital unit, i. e. the Spine Centre of Southern Denmark.
By tracking both patient-reported experiences and clinical measures over time, we aim to understand how the disease develops and how it can be recognized earlier. In addition, we will combine the world’s largest register on people with spine pain (SpineData) with the detailed Danish registries. This integration allows assessment of early patient-reported symptoms, time from diagnosis to surgery, and other critical care pathways.
Together, these two approaches will support increased clinical awareness, facilitate direct implementation of research findings into clinical practice, including chiropractic care, and ultimately improve long-term outcomes for people with DMC.
Building on previous findings, the research project Proprioceptive Weighting as a Predictor of Spinal Manipulation Outcomes in Chronic Low Back Pain will examine the effect over a four-week treatment period. 110 patients with chronic LBP will receive either SMT (55 patients) or a closely related manual therapy called spinal mobilization (55 patients). Proprioceptive function and pain levels will be assessed repeatedly throughout the study.
The main goal of the study is to test whether baseline proprioceptive profiles not only predict immediate responses to SMT but also track treatment-related changes over time and relate to longer-term pain improvement.
By identifying patients who are more likely to benefit from SMT, this research supports the broader goal of personalized medicine - matching treatments to individual characteristics rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. In the long term, this knowledge could help clinicians make better-informed treatment decisions and improve outcomes for people living with chronic LBP.
The deadline for the next application for funding from ECCRE is February 1st, 2027.