Myofascial Release I

Question 1

Cervical Traction

Answer 1

Question 2

C-Spine Bilateral Forearm Fulcrum Forward Bending

Answer 2

• Arms crossed under pts head
• Hands placed (palm down) on shoulders
• Repeatedly flex neck
• Repeat 2-3x

Question 3

C-Spine: Unilateral Forearm Fulcrum Forward Bending

Answer 3

• Use one arm to place on pt’s shoulder and cradle occiput
• Use opposite hand to rotate and sidebend head towards and away from your elbow
• Repeat 2-3 min
• Re-evaluate for TART

Question 4

C-Spine: Contralateral Traction, Supine

Answer 4

• Caudal hand on cervical paravertebral muscles on opposite side from you
• Superior hand rests on pt forhead to prevent excessive rotation

Question 5

C-Spine: Cradling with Traction (Supine)

Answer 5

• fingers placed under neck
• engage soft tissue with anterior and lateral force
• move cephalad along soft tissues

Question 6

Head and C-Spine: Subocciptal Release

Answer 6

• Finger pads on suboccipital region
• Apply pressure:

Kneading: rhythmic pressure (2 min)

Inhibition: constant inhibitory pressure (30 sec)

Question 7

Thoracic: Prone Pressure

Answer 7

• Thumb pads on paravertebral muscles on opposite side from you
• Keep elbows “straight-ish”, engage soft tissues and create perpendicular stretch

Question 8

Thoracic Prone Pressure with Counterpressure

Answer 8

• Place thumbs over thoracic paravertebral muscles (opposite directions)
• Engage tissues while moving hands in the direction they’re facing

Question 9

Thoracic Subscapular Stretch

(Prone or Lateral Recumbent)

Answer 9

• Take pt’s arm on side being treated, and place it behind their back
• place fingers around scapula
• pull scapula away from rib cage, engage tissues ventrally (gentle and upward motions!)

Question 10

Upper Thoracic with Shoulder Block

(Lateral Recumbent)

Answer 10

• pt lateral recumbent
• stand on side facing pt
• Inferior hand passes under pt arm, contract paravertebral muscles
• Superior hand applies counterforce on anterior part of shoulder

* drape pt hand over your arm

• Use both hands to engage tissues (pull it up) *use finger pads

Question 11

Thoracic and Lumbar Myofascial Release

(Lateral Recumbent)

Answer 11

• Patient in lateral recumbent, you face them
• finger pads placed on paravertebral muscles
• Engage muscle w/ ventrolateral force

Question 12

Lumbar: Prone Pressure

Answer 12

• Hands on opposite side that you are standing
• Keep elbows straight
• Use own body weight to engage soft tissues with ventral force

Question 13

Lumbar Prone Pressure with Counterleverage

Answer 13

(Prone)

• Grasp ASIS on other side of pt using inferior hand
• Place other hand (thenar and hypothenar eminence) on paraspinal muscles
• Pull on ASIS and apply pressure on lumbar muscles
• Repetive rhythmic fashion
• Treat tighter portions, then move after muscle release

Question 14

Lumbar Paraspinal Perpendicular Stretch

Answer 14

Lateral Recumbent

• Face pt
• finger pads on paravertebral muscles
• Stabilize pt knee against thigh
• Engage tissues with ventral force, move out laterally

Question 15

Hip Myofascial Release

Answer 15

( supine)

• flex hip and knee to 90 degrees
• Indirect: move hip to position of laxity, apply compression along femur
• Direct: move hip into restrictive barrier, apply compression/traction until tissue release is perceived

* Re-evaluate*

Question 16

Superior Popliteal Space/ MFR

Answer 16

(Supine)

• put fingerpads on sides of popliteal space
• Test motions:

internal/external rotation

clockwise/counter-clockwise

superior/inferior

• Follow release until there is so much creep
• Re-evaluate