Musculoskeletal System

Does specificity of manipulation matter in the treatment of chronic low back pain?

Posted on 10 April, 2014 by Joe Brence Recently, many in the manual therapy community have been questioning the mechanisms of how spinal manipulation works.  While some hold onto the belief that spinal manipulation has more of a biomechanical and structural influence, others believe the effects to be neurophysiological.    In a 2011 study published in […]

The effect of sustained natural apophyseal glides on headache

The effect of sustained natural apophyseal glides on headache, duration and cervical function in women with cervicogenic headache Shin EJ, et al. J Exerc Rehabil. 2014 Apr 30;10(2):131-5. doi: 10.12965/jer.140098. Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of sustained natural apophyseal glides (SNAGs) on pain and headache duration in women with […]

Risk Factors for Serious Underlying Pathology in Adult Emergency Department Nontraumatic Low Back Pain Patients

Thiruganasambandamoorthy V, et al. J Emerg Med. 2014 Apr 8. pii: S0736-4679(14)00155-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.08.140. [Epub ahead of print] Abstract BACKGROUND: Nontraumatic low back pain (LBP) is a common emergency department (ED) complaint and can be caused by serious pathologies that require immediate intervention or that lead to death. OBJECTIVE: The primary goal of this study […]

Comprehensive physiotherapy exercise programme or advice for chronic whiplash (PROMISE)

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet, 04/08/2014  Evidence Based Medicine  Clinical Article  Full Story Journal Reference Michaleff ZA, et al. – Evidence suggests that brief physiotherapy programmes are as effective for acute whiplash–associated disorders as more comprehensive programmes; however, whether this also holds true for chronic whiplash–associated disorders is unknown. Authors aimed to estimate the effectiveness […]

Effects of exercise on depressive symptoms in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic disease: a systematic review of meta-analyses

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 04/08/2014  Evidence Based Medicine  Clinical Article Kelley GA, et al. – Depression is a major public health problem among adults with arthritis and other rheumatic disease. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of previous meta–analyses addressing the effects of exercise (aerobic, strength or both) on depressive symptoms in adults […]

Drinking Milk Might Slow Osteoarthritis Progression

Medscape Medical News Janis C. Kelly April 08, 2014 Regular consumption of milk was associated with slower progression of joint damage in women with osteoarthritis (OA), but regular consumption of cheese was associated with more joint damage, Bing Lu, MD, DrPH, and colleagues report in an article published online April 6 in Arthritis Care & Research. “Dietary factors […]

Back Pain Pictures Slideshow: Myths and Facts About Back Pain

The Truth About Back Pain Back pain is extremely common. In fact, 80% of people will have significant back pain at some point. Back pain symptoms vary from individual to individual. They can be sharp or dull. Myths regarding back pain are also common. Can you recognize the myths and facts that follow? Full Story

Malalignment: a possible target for prevention of incident knee osteoarthritis in overweight and obese women

Runhaar J, et al. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2014 Apr 4. [Epub ahead of print] Abstract Objectives. The present study aims to investigate the associations between malalignment and incident knee OA after 2.5 years in a high-risk group of 333 middle-aged overweight women (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m(2)) free of clinical and radiological knee OA at baseline.Methods. The […]

Doubt Over Role of Vitamin D, Even to Limit Fractures

Becky McCall April 03, 2014 Full Story New results from extensive analyses of observational and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) suggest that vitamin D given alone does not appear to increase bone-mineral density or reduce the risk for fractures or falls in older people, contrary to many previous reports. The research also signifies that a clear […]

Deep massage to posterior calf muscles in combination with neural mobilization exercises as a treatment for heel pain

A pilot randomized clinical trial Manual Therapy Volume 19, Issue 2 , Pages 102-108, April 2014 Bernice Saban Abstract Background Plantar heel pain syndrome (PHPS) is a common foot disorder; however, there is limited clinical evidence on which to base treatment. Repeated clinical observations indicating heel pain during heel rise and minisquat on the affected […]

Association between baseline IL-6 and 1-year recovery in lumbar radicular pain

Eur J Pain. 2014 Nov;18(10):1394-401. doi: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2014.502.x. Epub 2014 Apr 2. Schistad EI, Espeland A, Pedersen LM, Sandvik L, Gjerstad J, Røe C. Abstract BACKGROUND: In the present study, the influence of cytokines on 1-year recovery in lumbar radicular pain was examined. METHODS: In total, 110 patients with symptomatic lumbar disc herniation were followed for […]

Do manual therapies help low back pain? A comparative effectiveness meta-analysis

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014 Apr 1;39(7):E463-72. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000230. Menke JM1. Author information Abstract STUDY DESIGN: Meta-analysis methodology was extended to derive comparative effectiveness information on spinal manipulation for low back pain. OBJECTIVE: Determine relative effectiveness of spinal manipulation therapies (SMTs), medical management, physical therapies, and exercise for acute and chronic nonsurgical low back pain. […]

The clinical utility of cervical range of motion in diagnosis, prognosis, and evaluating the effects of manipulation

The clinical utility of cervical range of motion in diagnosis, prognosis, and evaluating the effects of manipulation: a systematic review Suzanne J. Snodgrass Physiotherapy Articles in Press Received: June 12, 2013; Accepted: April 10, 2014; Published Online: May 01, 2014 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2014.04.007 Publication stage: In Press Accepted Manuscript Abstract Background Clinicians commonly assess cervical range […]

Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment

A prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up Cynthia K Peterson Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 2014, 22:15 doi:10.1186/2045-709X-22-15 Published: 1 April 2014 Journal Reference Abstract (provisional) Background Low back pain in pregnancy is common and research evidence on the response to chiropractic treatment is limited. The purposes of this study […]

Manipulation Under Anesthesia for Lumbopelvic Pain

A Retrospective Review of 18 Cases Douglas J. Taber, DC Journal of Chiropractic Medicine Available online 11 March 2014 Abstract Objective The purpose of this case series is to report the effects of manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for patients with lumbopelvic (lumbar spine, sacroiliac and/or pelvic, hip) pain in an outpatient ambulatory/hospital-based setting. Methods A […]

Therapeutic ultrasound for chronic low-back pain

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Mar 14;(3):CD009169. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009169.pub2. Ebadi S Abstract BACKGROUND: Chronic non-specific low-back pain (LBP) has become one of the main causes of disability in the adult population around the world. Therapeutic ultrasound is frequently used by physiotherapists in the treatment of LBP and is one of the most widely used electro-physical […]

The efficacy of manual joint mobilisation/manipulation in treatment of lateral ankle sprains: a systematic review

Br J Sports Med. 2014 Mar;48(5):365-70. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092763. Epub 2013 Aug 26. Loudon JK1, Reiman MP, Sylvain J. Abstract BACKGROUND: Lateral ankle sprains are common and can have detrimental consequences to the athlete. Joint mobilisation/manipulation may limit these outcomes. OBJECTIVE: Systematically summarise the effectiveness of manual joint techniques in treatment of lateral ankle sprains. METHODS: […]

Small Multifidus Muscle Size Predicts Football Injuries

Abstracts from the IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury & Illness in Sport, Monaco 2014 J Hides, W Stanton, M Smith, D Mendis, M Sexton Abstract Background In Australian Football, hip, groin and thigh (HGT) muscle injuries have had the highest incidence and prevalence. A previous study showed that football players with relatively more […]

Chronic Neck Pain and Exercise Interventions: Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type Principle

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Volume 95, Issue 4 , Pages 770-783, April 2014 Cliona O’Riordan, BSc Abstract Objective To identify the most effective components in an active exercise physiotherapy treatment intervention for chronic neck pain based on the frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT) exercise method of tailoring physical activity recommendations to the […]

Low Back Pain Top Cause of Disability Worldwide

Larry Hand March 24, 2014 Full Story Low back pain (LBP) causes more disability globally than any other condition, according to 2 studies published onlineJanuary 30 and March 24 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. As the world population continues to age, an urgent need exists for research to find out why and how LBP might be prevented […]