Manual Therapy Flashcards
What is manual therapy?
mobilization, manipulation, massage, stretching, deep pressure via skilled hand movements
What are two components of manual therapy? What is the purpose?
Joint techniques- increase joint mobility
Soft tissue techniques- increase soft tissue mobility
When is manual therapy indicated?
- motion impairments at joint
- motion impairments via weak/shortened muscles
- used in combo w/ exercise to improve function
What is joint play?
a movement that cannot be produced by the action of voluntary muscles
-compression, distractions, slides, rolls, spins at a joint
Is manual therapy always passive?
No. Most of the time it is but it can be extrinsic forces (therapist or gravity) or intrinsic forces (muscle contraction or breathing) acting on a patient’s body
What are the 4 different types of manual therapy?
1) Joint manipulation-
2) Joint mobilization-
3) Muscle energy-
4) Soft Tissue-
What is joint manipulation?
passive, high velocity, low amplitude. Joint beyond physiologic barrier and creates distraction or translation. Does not exceed anatomic barrier.
Can be direct or indirect- contraindicated if untrained
What is joint mobilization?
passive, slow motions, physiologic ROM.
1) graded oscillation
2) progressive loading
3) sustained loading
Direct- patient feedback
What is muscle energy?
active mm contraction after jt is taken passively to restricted motion. Post-isometric relaxation principles
Direct-contraindicated for people w/ severe heart disease
What is soft tissue?
enhancing status of mm activity and/or extensibility in tissues. Can effect mm, nn, lymph and circulatory systems.
Indirect- demands high degree of palpatory skill
What is the difference between physiologic barrier and anatomic barrier?
Physiologic barrier- point at which voluntary ROM in articulation limited by soft tissue tension.
Anatomic barrier- PROM is limited by bone contour or soft tissue. Final limit to motion in a joint and anything beyond causes tissue damage.
What are direct manual techniques?
movement and force are in the direction of the motion restriction- allows for maximal restoration of movement, however it may be painful when pain and mm guarding are present
What are indirect manual techniques?
movement and force are not both in the direction of the motion restriction- indicated for acute stages
What is the difference between general and specific manual therapy techniques?
General- the force is transmitted to a number of joints that have been determined to be hypomobile. Can increase motion to previously unstable joint
Specific- force is localized to one joint, force transmission is minimized through the uninvolved joints
Is there evidence that specific manipulation techniques are delivered accurately to the targeted segment?
No. Spinal manipulation is only accurate about 50% of the time due to multiple pops. ** The clinical success of spinal manipulation is not dependent on the accurate delivery of that therapy to the target spinal joints**
What is the pop?
generation/collapse of gaseous bubble in synovial fluid. Increase in CO2 levels and joint space is mechanism to increase ROM. Also causes reflex relaxation in surrounding mm. Doesn’t need to pop to be effective.
What is the 5 level grading system for joint mobilizations under Maitland?
1) slow, small, beginning of range (pain,
2) slow, large, do not reach end of resistance (oscillation, pain)
3) slow, large, to limit of range (increase mobility)
4) slow, small, to limit (oscillation, increase mobility)
5) fast, small, high velocity beyond pathological endpoint (thrust, resistance limits movement, absence of pain in that direction)
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of spinal conditions? Low back pain?
- spinal manip/mob provides similar/better pain outcomes short term/long term when compared w/ placebo, McKenzie, back school etc. for acute and chronic (systematic of RTC)
- manipulation followed by exercise achieved most significant benefits, then manipulation, then exercise (high quality RTC)
- matching the individual patients with correct intervention
- CPR- accurate id LBP who are to benefit can benefit 50% improvement in disability
- 5 predictors of success 1) short symptom duration 2) low treatment apprehension levels 3) lumbar hypomobility 4) adequate hip IR 5) no symptoms past knee (4/5 of these 45-95% success rate)
- combo of manual therapy w/ exercise and appropriate intervention seem to increase manual therapy effects
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of spinal conditions? Thoracic pain?
limited evidence intense rehab program decreased pain intensity in young patients w/ Scheurmann’s disease
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of spinal conditions? Neck pain?
- for mechanical neck pain w/ no radicular symptoms
- spinal manipulation superior to general practitioner mgmt for short term pain reduction in pt’s w/ chronic sx’s(systematic review)
- mobilization is superior to PT/family physician care (moderate)
- No evidence to support manipulation versus mobilization for patients w/ neck pain
- T spine interventions have been shown to cause immediate decrease in pain/increase in neck ROM because they are intertwined biomechanically
- limited evidence- Tspine manipulation and intermittent cervical traction w/ patients w/ cervical compressive myelopathy/disc/radiculopathy show decreased pain improved function
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of cervicogenic headaches?
Mob/manip is effective for patients w/ cervicogenic headaches.
-Exercise and manual therapy worked better than control group, cervical manip/mob, strengthening deep neck flexors, scapular muscle strengthening after 7-12 weeks (systematic review)
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of extremities? Hip?
Yes. 81% improvement w/ manual therapy, 50% improvement w/ exercises after 5 weeks tx for OA of hip. Manual had better pain, stiffness, hip fxn, ROM. (RCT).
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of extremities? Knee?
Manual therapy and exercise group worked best by pain, stiffness, and function. Manual group were mobs to lumbopelvic region, hip, knee, ankle. Control group didn’t change.
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of extremities? Shoulder?
- MT alone or combo w/ exercise has shown to be effetive
- 12/52 weeks after tx the manipulation group reported better outcomes
- shoulder impingement supervised flexibility and strengthening vs group w/ exercise and manual showed significantly more improvement in pain/function(RCT)
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of extremities? Elbow?
-lateral epicondylitis mob w/ movement can help reduce painful movements and improve grip(limited evidence)
Is there evidence that manual therapy is effective in the treatment of other conditions?
- TMJ OA and fibro indicate MT decreased pain(less rigorous)
- cervical radiculopathy, cervicogenic dizziness, carpal tunnel and TOS MT may have positive effects
- few studies use mm energy or soft tissue
What are the side effects with spinal manip?
-61% complain of postmanip reaction show up w/i 4 hours and go away 24 hours, more common w/ women
-20% stiffness
15% local discomfort
-12% headache
12% radiating discomfort
12% fatigue
6% mm spasm
4% dizziness
2% nausea
Is there any evidence for the use of craniosacral therapy?
No single study to support craniosacral therapy as an effective therapeutic intervention
Does manual therapy affect visceral organs?
Little evidence- joint dysfunction can excite neural components and supress/attenuate visceral complaints
Can MT restore spinal curvature?
Loss of spinal curvature/lateral lumbopelvic list/straightened cervical spine due to mm spasm, nonaggressive manipulation techniques cand decrease spasm and increase movement
Can MT straighten a spinal deformity?
Scoliosis/hyperkyphosis manipulation cannot straighten the curves
How does manual therapy help to increase range of motion and decrease pain and disability?
- unknown in vivo effects
- MT moves mechanical impediment permitting movement and halting nociceptive input and reflex mm spasm
- ROM improvement helps relieve pain
- MT ruptures or stretches periarticular scar tissue
- MT improves nerve conductivity and circulation by increasing space where nerves/vessels exit/cross
- MT improve mm function and decrease stress on bones and ligaments by improving joint force/lever distribution
- MT affect neural activities as a result of afferent stimulation
Should joint hypomobility be treated in the absence of symptoms?
No. this will not prevent dysfunction
When is MT contraindicated?
- fracture
- infectious arthritis
- tumors
- joint anklylosis
- acute inflammatory disorders
- lack of diagnosed joint lesion
- pathological end feel