Neck pain is a common problem affecting up to 70% of the population in their lifetime. Cervical and thoracic manipulation remains an effective Physical Therapy treatment to restore mobility and decrease pain in patients with neck pain. Recent research has shown no difference between one manipulation technique over another with both showing equal benefits for...
Thoracic manipulation by Physical Therapists has previously been shown to improve pain and function in patients with elbow, shoulder, and neck pain. Authors continue to research the mechanisms behind its’ effectiveness including a beneficial cascade of events in the peripheral and central nervous system, as well as, a possible biomechanical change in the spinal joints....
photo credit: ptonice.com 1. You have taken numerous continuing education courses in your career, how did the completion of the fellowship advance your clinical and teaching goals? The more I practice our craft the more I believe the big variable is selecting the right intervention, far more so than the nuances of that intervention delivery. ...
The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reviewed the evidence on the utilization of spinal manipulation for patients with acute back pain. Authors reported moderate evidence to support its’ use to both decrease pain and improve function. The majority of research on spinal manipulation is currently being performed by Physical Therapists to determine best...
Treatment of the thoracic spine utilizing joint mobilization or manipulation is a excellent treatment approach to accelerate the recovery of patients dealing with neck, elbow, and shoulder pain. Utilizing a regional interdependence approach where areas adjacent or distant to the site of pain are treated by the physical therapist, in addition to the painful area, lead...
If you’ve been told spinal manipulation “puts your SI joint back into place,” that explanation doesn’t hold up under imaging, even though the treatment itself works. Manipulation, alongside targeted strength training, remains one of the most effective interventions for sacroiliac (SI) pain. The question researchers have spent decades on isn’t whether it works. It’s why....
Low Back Pain Background Information Low back pain is a common disorder affecting up to 90% of people in the lifetime and is the 2nd most common reason people seek medical attention(1,2). Our health care system spends an average of over $90 billion dollars on low back pain largely from increases in surgical procedures, injections,...
Tension-type headaches are headaches related to muscle trigger points or muscle tenderness in the head and neck and are the most common type of headache in adults. In our Boulder physical therapy practice, we utilize hands-on techniques addressing muscles and joints of the upper cervical region for headaches. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis (Jiang...
Manipulation, exercise, and taping are the three interventions physical therapists reach for first with sacroiliac (SI) joint pain. For years, though, the SI joint has been one of the most argued-about diagnoses in orthopedic PT. That changed somewhat in late 2025: a multispecialty consensus guideline endorsed by more than twenty medical societies, including the American...
