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ginger -> Mobilisation of facet joints, the continuous method (July 2, 2006 7:34:00 PM)
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After many requests for detail on the continuous method, I offer here a short examination of the method I call Continuous Mobilisation. Applied to spinal zygo apophyseal facet joints with care, this method provides the means to restore normal pain free function to hypomobile facets joints.
As this is a brief consideration of the method and reliable results considerably influenced by application, I urge the reader to practice on live humans to bridge the skills gap should there be one.
I will skip any further introduction and mention of physiological detail and examination protocals , these will be/have been dealt with elsewhere.
METHOD.part one
unilateral passive mobilisation of facet joints requires therapists hands to be a connection to the ongoing protective state implicit in the activity associated with spinal joint pain. As such it is necessary to be sensitive to changes in the state of tone of intrinsic muscles intimate to facet joints. Any attempt to move a facet joint which has a protective hypertonic load ( of muscle) will be met with resistance and pain. Pain can be of differing intensities, feel and irritability. ( by irritability I refer to the prospect that any attempt to move joints in a highly irritated state may be followed by pain not associated with passive or active movements, initiated by that attempt to mobilise)
By this sensitivity it will be noted that as passive movements are attempted and continued, a changing picture of pain and resistance emerges.
Movement is applied in a natural direction predicted by the angles of therapists hand and arm, where he/she stands at the side of the patient nearest to the joint being mobilised.
Pressure is sufficient only to acknowledge both pain and resistance at the joint. Continuous movements then at a rate of 2 per second are provided such that both these variables are able to be monitored. At or around 30 seconds of continuous mobs there will be noted the first level of alteration to both variables. That is , pain will be felt to reduce at the same time as muscular tension providing resistance reduces. Further attention to the same joint will produce still more reductions till A. either no further improvements are noted, or B. a full pain free resistance free condition is established.
The effect of successful mobilisation will be noted in several ways.
Active and passive facet ROM will be improved. This will be associated with improvements to comfort locally as well as distaly. It will be noted that as these local improvements are appreciated , so will the prospect of a reduction in distal pain and dysfunction associated with the spinal segmental innervation of those related structures.
The improvements to facet mobility are essentially permanent. That is, provided that there are no severe local irritations given by pathology or injury, protective responses leading to facet hypomobility and inflammatory events of joint and nerves are restored to normal. Inflammatory events associated with these states of hypomobility are usually dissipated over a 24 hour post treatment period. Some liklihood of a post treatment painfull facet joint period exists. This can be viewed as an unfortunate feature of this form of treatment , but not a contraindication for it's use. In my experience about 20 percent of individuals will experiece a post Rx period of tenderness, which last pproximately 24 hrs. Usually noted is a highly irritated facet joint, or group of joints prior to Rx, in this group.
Summary
Continuous facet joint mobs is NOT
forcefull
difficult
contraindicated by the presence of age or disease related arthropathies, "instability", or previous injury .
Continuous facet joint mobs DOES NOT require
Your attention to detail in the placement of your thumbs- at or over the lateral mass , as near as able to the facet joint will be fine. Provided that , the two basic criteria are met, that is resistance and pain.
Periods of five minutes of continuous mobs are commonly associated with continued improvements to some facet joints as above, longer periods are usefull also , though strain the limits of the thumb comfort of those new to the method. Practice will lengthen considerably the time able to comfortably mobilise. A lot of pressure is rarely more useful than less, pain and resistance is the key.
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