Soft Tissue Techniques Flashcards
What are the joint based techniques to manage dysfunction with manual therapy?
- Mobilisation
- Manipulation
What is mobilisation?
Low-velocity techniques that can be performed in various parts of the available range based on the desired effect
What is manipulation?
A small-amplitude, high velocity thrust technique – a rapid movement over which the patient has no control
What are soft-tissue based techniques used to manage dysfunction with manual therapy?
- Massage
- Muscle Energy Techniques (MET) and myofascial release
- Stretching and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
- Specific soft tissue mobilisations
- Frictions
- Trigger points
What is Muscle Energy Technique (MET)?
A manual therapy technique,uses a patient’s muscle contractions to relax and lengthen muscles, improve joint mobility, and reduce pain, by applying resistance to isometric contractions.
What is Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)?
A stretching technique that improves flexibility and range of motion by combining stretching with muscle contraction and relaxation, often used in rehabilitation and athletic training.
What is Amplitude?
The maximum extent of a vibration oroscillation, measured from the position ofequilibrium.
What is Velocity?
Quickness of motion – speed; rapidity of movement
What is a nerve based technique used to manage dysfunction with manual therapy?
Neurodynamics
What must we know to facilitate management using manual therapy?
- Basic science of soft tissues (incl. muscle and nerve)
- Soft tissue healing
~ Staging
~ Muscle contraction
~ Neural control of movement - Physiological changes associated with:
~ Injury (overuse, overload, trauma) or pathology
~ Immobilisation or detraining
~ Exercise (strength, power, endurance, proprioception and coordination)
~ Altered motor control, Fatigue
~ Age - Indications and contraindications
What is analgesic touch able to do?
Modulate pain by biasing signal detection, buffering pain intensity and quality of sensation.
What is affective touch able to do?
Communicate sympathy, comfort, support, reassurance and elicit positive emotions.
What is somatoperceptual touch able to do?
Locate pain and tactile stimuli.
What must you make sure of when touching someone during manual therapy?
- Make sure it is appropriate to the condition
- That you make the objectives very clear (prevent misinterpretation)
- Be aware of the feedback response you get (this can be very subtle but important)
- Don’t communicate negative messages
How do you assist the repair processes?
Stress for better repair, influence fluid flow and blood perfusion, and tissue length adaptation.
How do you assist the adaptation process?
Assisting adaptive repair for physical demands vs maladaptive.
What is it crucial to match when using soft tissue techniques?
Dosage, progression and regression to stage of healing and condition.
What mechanical therapeutic effect do soft tissue techniques have?
Oscillatory, active movement and stretches invoke biomechanical and tissue adaptation changes.
What autonomic therapeutic effects do soft tissue techniques have?
- Skin temperature
- Cortisol levels
What endocrine therapeutic effect do soft tissue techniques have?
Release of endorphins
What neurophysiological therapeutic effect do soft tissue techniques have?
Pain modulation through Aß on A∂ and C pathways, proprioception and motor adaptation.
What affective therapeutic effect do soft tissue techniques have?
Behaviour, cognition, emotions and mood through opioids and dopaminergic pathways, deactivation of stressful responses.
What non-specific therapeutic effect do soft tissue techniques have?
Placebo
What are the implications of soft tissue techniques for the physio?
- Helps you locate symptoms
- Helps you communicate kindness, empathy, reception, firmness, support, comfort, reassurance
- Helps you identify those who are likely to respond and gain increased acceptance and compliance
- Helps you make use of the appropriate physical properties to invoke biomechanical and physical change
- Helps you reduce pain
- Cueing (helps you guide movement and activity to be performed correctly)
