Manual Therapy and Interventions
The explosion in published meta-analyses is not proof that nothing works. It is proof that many researchers do not know when to apply meta-analysis methods, and that averaging the wrong data can hide what actually works.
A formal framework for achieving optimal patient outcomes in physical rehabilitation. Framing clinical intervention selection as a "Constrained Knapsack Optimization Problem."
Uncover the myth: 'active is better than passive'. Research debunks this claim. Learn the facts on active vs. passive interventions now!
Research Confirmed: Messaging, expectations, and treatment preference may have an inconsistent effect on the perception of pain induced by a manual therapy technique (e.g. how painful an acupuncture needle feels), but no significant effect on post-treatment outcome measures (e.g. pain during motion or functional outcome measure scores). Further, stress and catastrophizing are unlikely to have a significant effect on outcomes; however, it may be advised that joint manipulations are not performed when stress/catastrophizing is high. Stress is likely to be highest during session 1 and decrease with subsequent sessions, and matching a patient's assessment findings to the best treatment option significantly improves outcomes, regardless of expectations.
The RCTs available that compare pain neuroscience education (PNE) to other interventions imply that PNE is relatively ineffective and has very limited utility.
An evidence-based article defining cavitation sound, the mechanism of sound creation, how it relates to joint manipulation, and whether a cavitation sound is correlated with patient outcomes following manipulation.
You Can Palpate the Psoas
Myths About Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) Motion, Palpation, Assessment, and Treatment