As a rule, moist heat followed by stretching is beneficial for spinal hypomobilities, and strengthening is beneficial for regions of spinal hypermobility.
How to Best Clear Blood Lactate Levels After Strenuous Exercise
The authors of this study concluded that foam rolling and running are better than resting at clearing blood lactose after strenuous exercise.
Massage Therapy Decreases Cancer-Related Fatigue
The results of this study should bolster the value of including massage therapy as an integral part of oncology treatment programs.
How do we treat spinal joint dysfunction with manual therapy?
Joint mobilization treatment (Grade IV or V) is the most effective treatment technique to remedy a spinal joint dysfunction hypomobility once it is present.
Neural Effects of Muscle Stretching on Local and Non-Local Muscles
Muscle stretching has inhibitory effects on spinal cord stretch reflexes in both stretched muscles and also non-local non-stretched muscles of the same leg.
Signs, Symptoms, and Assessment of Spinal Joint Dysfunction
Assessment/diagnosis of spinal joint dysfunction, whether it is a hypomobility or a hypermobility, is done via motion palpation.
Massage Therapy Promotes Muscle Regrowth Even on Opposite Leg
A research study has shown that massage therapy increases growth of muscle tissue after an injury, even on the opposite, non-massaged side of the body.
What are the causes of spinal joint dysfunction?
The primary causes of spinal joint hypomobility can be divided into three types: taut soft tissue, bony obstruction, and jammed meniscoid body.
There is a Third “Deep Layer” of the Iliotibial Band (ITB)
It is not generally known that the iliotibial band (ITB) actually has three layers: a superficial, intermediate, and deep layer.
Art Riggs Discusses a Recent Research Study on “Deep Tissue Massage”
The line along the continuum between “regular” and deep tissue massage is not sharp and can’t be clarified by a list of techniques.
Delayed onset of vastus medialis obliquus relative to vastus lateralis
Perhaps the difference in physical activity explains the controversial results regarding Vastus medialis obliquus and Vastus Lateralis engagement.
The Role of Longus Colli & Longus Capitis in Cervical Spinal Stabilization
Could it be that longus muscles act as length-variable sensors, contributing to stability and adaptability, via their rich mechanoreceptor capabilities…
What is in a name? – “Myofascial Release” or “Myofascial Induction”?
At the muscular level, myofascial release (MFR) is commonly believed to ease fascial gliding motion, releasing adhesions between fascia.
What is spinal joint dysfunction?
Joint dysfunction literally means “bad motion.” There are two types: too little motion termed a hypomobility; and too much motion termed a hypermobility.
Can Barefoot Running Help Improve Working Memory?
Barefoot running requires more intensive use of working memory because of the extra tactile and proprioceptive demands required for precise foot placement.
What is Occupational Therapy?
An Occupational Therapist (OT) is concerned with and addresses how a patient’s injury or illness is impairing the functioning of his/her life.
Nachlas and Yeoman’s Special Orthopedic AssessmentTests
This blog post article is part of a series of articles on assessment of the low back and pelvis. Scroll to the end of this article to see the others in this series. Nachlas and Yeoman’s Tests Nachlas’ test and …
Lumbodorsal (Thoracolumbar) Fascia as a Source of Low Back Pain
In histological studies, the lumbodorsal fascia has been found to be densely innervated with nociceptive afferent pain fibers.
Massage is considered as a recommended treatment for Low Back Pain
For patients with chronic low back pain, clinicians and patients should initially select nonpharmacologic treatment with exercise and manual therapies (such as massage).
The Cross-Over Effect of Stretching
Results showed that there were significant shoulder joint ROM increases following both lower body static stretching and lower body dynamic stretching.
Expression of the Endocannabinoid Receptors in Human Fascial Tissue
Confirmation of endocannabinoid receptors in fascial tissue greatly bolsters our understanding of the mechanism of how manual and movement therapies work.
What are the self-care and medical approaches to whiplash?
Once the acute stage of a whiplash has resolved, moist heat followed by stretching of the neck can be recommended to the client.
Brief Review of Assessment and Treatment of Low Back Conditions
The following is a brief overview that links the low back condition with its corresponding assessment procedure and its corresponding treatment.
Manual Therapy Treatment Strategy for the Low Back and Pelvis
For treatment strategy to be effective, treatments should be spaced no more than 2 to 3 days apart until the desired improvement has been achieved.
How do we assess (diagnose) whiplash?
Assessing a whiplash injury from another condition of the neck is straightforward because a whiplash by definition follows a macrotrauma of the neck,
Self-Care Advice for the Client with a Low Back Condition
When recommending stretches, the best rule regarding self-care advice is to give the client as much as he or she will do, and no more.
What is Muscle Memory? How Does it Control Movement and Posture?
Where does muscle memory for baseline resting tone reside? It resides in the nervous system, the grand master controller of muscular function.
Sacroiliac Joint Medley of Orthopedic Assessment Tests
The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) medley of tests is a series of five assessment tests to determine if the SIJ is the causative agent of the client’s pain.
How do we treat Whiplash with manual therapy?
A whiplash/neck sprain is problematic to treat because it involves overstretching of ligaments, which causes joint instability.
Straight Leg Raise and Manual Resistance Tests for Strains and Sprains
Active SLR test assesses both sprains and strains. Passive SLR test assesses only sprains… however, this is a bit of an oversimplification.