Do I Believe in Chiropractic Medicine?

Supposedly this is a painting of the first chiropractic "adjustment"

That is the question that was asked of me recently by a client. This question was offered to me in a hushed manner as if it was a taboo or risky thing to ask somebody.

In reality, I can understand the demeanor of the question due to the previous issues between the chiropractic profession and societies like the American Medical Association.

Curious to what my answer was? I told her that I do NOT believe in chiropractors...Pause...I also do not believe in physical therapists, athletic trainers, medical doctors or osteopaths. However, I do believe in critical thinking, sound clinical reasoning, clinicians that get results, evidence based practice, and the scientific method. There will always be good eggs and bad eggs in any profession. There will always be some patients that will respond to some clinicians/treatments/therapies/exercises better than others. It doesn't mean they are bad but they weren't appropriate at that moment in time.

I think she has lost her marbles.

As Charlie Weingroff would say, "I don't care if all you do is spread peanut butter on somebody, if it makes them move better or with less pain from baseline to post-testing."

Test - Intervention - Retest.

That is starting to be my new gold standard for how I feel about different clinicians. I could turn this into a profession bashing fest but its almost like discussing stereotypes...they just are not true for everybody. Not to mention it would be unprofessional of me. ;-) 

I am also biased towards systems of evaluation like SFMA/FMS/PRI/MDT because they guide treatment and funnel down issues to specific dysfunctions. This is a step in the right direction compared to trying to guess why somebody strained a hamstring, or treating all shoulder impingements the exact same way.

In conclusion, when you really start to look at stuff on a broader scale you will notice that the overlap between professions of physical medicine is constantly increasing and the points of distinction really aren't that distinct. I also see the need for more clinicians to be willing to work together. Do not let ego get in the way of referring to another provider just for the sake of keeping your cash flow constant. The real future is who can become distinct by delivering the best outcomes and results to the patient. This is customer service after all.

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Thoracic Extension Doesn't = Thoracic Extension

Howdy Folks! Today I wanted to take a quick moment to comment on some discrepancies that I have noticed when hearing people discuss thoracic mobility and the need for thoracic extension. Anyone that is familiar with the Functional Movement System is probably well aware of the lack of thoracic mobility that many people seem to suffer from. This is something that you often see targeted by FMS corrective exercises or may be a common finding during an Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) for some.

On the other hand, there is the kind folks associated with the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) that are trying to promote thoracic flexion and minimize hyperextension of the thoracic spine. Then I have heard stories from colleagues at PRI courses mention how they are lacking thoracic extension only to be told they have too much. So what is the answer? Do we need thoracic extension? Who is right here?

Well I believe that both of these systems or schools of thought are trying to achieve the same thing, and are essentially saying the same thing despite it sounding different. I am arguing that people are not differentiating between the different hinge points of the spine and the exact levels of the thoracic spine that they are referencing. Look at this first squat picture below. Nobody from either school is going to like this squat form and PRI'ists will notice the excessive thoracic extension from T8 and down while FMS'ers will notice the lack of thoracic extension from T1-T4.

Now if I hit my first sticking point and decide to take another breathing cycle to help draw my ribcage down and promote lower thoracic flexion I am able to come down even further in my overhead deep squat as you can see below in the next picture. However, it is still less than ideal squat form. I still struggle with getting adequate upper thoracic spine extension

Now what happens if we lessen the burden of the upper thoracic spine and by switching this experiment over to a front squat? I am still hyper-lordotic in the lumbar spine and still extend the very last few segments of the thoracic spine.

If I perform another big exhale into the balloon I am able to decrease the lordotic curve, increase thoracic flexion from T8-T12 and my femurs actually break parallel! However, if you look closely you will still see a little bit of hyper-kyphosis in the first few segments of the upper thoracic spine.

In conclusion, I think there is a lot of confusion by some people when they learn about or speak about the thoracic spine between these two different schools of thought. In reality, I think that both schools are really trying to achieve similar things but sometimes there is definitely a lack of differentiation. I also think that these pictures can also help signify the importance of proper breathing, and the power of the diaphragm, obliques and transversus abdominus over form, function and movement. Just some food for thought! Thoughts?

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Guest Post: Acute idiopathic torticollis in a male high school basketball player.

Hey everybody! Today's post was written by my good friend Yuya Mukaihara. He was telling me about some success he was having using some Rocktape samples that I had given him so I asked him to write up one of the cases for my blog. So without further adou here it is:

I am one of Adam's classmates at Illinois State University and I work at a local HS. I am a Certified Athletic Trainer with CSCS, and NSCA-CT credentials. I have Graston Technique and Technica Gavilan IASTM certifications. I have also taken some PRI courses--Myokinematic Restoration, Postural Respiration, CCM, and I just finished Impingement & Instability this weekend. I use manual therapy, PRI, and corrective exercises in my practice but this case was an acute episode of left torticollis. So, I mostly used manual therapy to manage this case.

The athlete kind of looked like this...

Background

Torticollis, also called as cervical dystonia or spasmodic torticollis, is a condition of the neck that results in sustained involuntary muscle contractions that may cause pain and neck rigidity.^1,2 66% - 75% of the patients experience pain, which is the main cause of disability in those patients.¹ It is more common in women than men and occurs in 5 to 20 out of 100,000 individuals.² Idiopathic torticollis is considered as primary cervical dystonia due to no history of physical examination or laboratory tests whereas the secondary cervical dystonia is due to an abnormal developmental history.¹

Currently, the pathogenesis of torticollis and the anatomical origin of its symptoms are unclear; however, an onset of idiopathic torticollis is often gradual and it displays sustained co-contraction of agonists and antagonists of cervical muscules.^1,3 Commonly, it is treated with a series of Botulinum toxin A injections into overactive musculature.¹ However, torticollis can conservatively be managed by reducing pain and involuntary muscle contractions with Kinsiotaping ⁴, manual therapy ^5,6, and therapeutic exercises.³

In this case report, I used Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and Strain-Counterstrain (SCS) technique with an application of Rocktape to manage acute idiopathic torticollis in a male high school basketball player while he played playoff games.

Case Report

A 16 year-old basketball player came into the ATR 10 minutes before his practice started, c/o of left neck pain and tightness that resulted in his inability to look left. He stated that he started noticing tightness and pain that gradually becoming worse in the afternoon. Any other symptom was stated. It was in-season and was a day before his playoff game and he was needed in practice because he was one of better players on the team.

- At resting with seated, his neck was rotated and side bended to right a little bit.

- Active left cervical rotation was limited and was about 15deg with pain in the left side. Full right rotation.

- Active left side bending was also limited and was about 10 deg with pain in the left side. Full side bending.

- Palpable tightness over left cervical extensors, upper trap and levetor scapula compared to right. He c/o pain with palpation of these muscles.

- MMT to cervical flexion, extension, right rotation and right side bending were 5/5 without pain. Left cervical rotation and left side bending were 3/5 due to pain.

- No history of a car accident, head or neck injury, or shoulder pathology. No history of medical conditions or surgery that should be noted. No signs and symptoms other than tightness, pain, and limited ROM of the c-spine.

Course of Treatment

Day 1, after a quick evaluation, he had to go to the practice so I only had 10 minutes to treat him. I began with MET isometric reciprocal inhibition on left rotation and side bending. I didn't target specific muscle but general motions. I had him to rotate and side bend to the right from neutral to gain motions on the left side by inhibiting these tight musculature. There was not much improvement but he had to go to the practice.

15mins later, the player came back to me because he could not play due to pain. So, now I had a little bit more time to treat the athlete. I had him lay supine and checked his passive ROM. Passive left cervical rotation and side bending caused pain as did active, displaying limited ROM.

I used SCS on his left upper trap and levator scapulae because I suspected muscle spindle hyperactivity.  After resetting the mechanoreceptors, he had increased left cervical rotation and side bending.

After finding the most tender spot, I kept a pressure and started counting time. Then I slowly increased left rotation. Once he feels no tenderness under my finger, I stayed there for about 20-30sec and then increased a little further and repeated. At the same time, I added some side bending a little by little to gain the ROM.

After one session of this technique, his active left rotation was about 80% of his right rotation and side bending was about 30% of his right side bending. (active left cervical rotation about 75deg and side bend about 25deg).

Then, I performed a 1st rib MET on the left for one set of five isometric contractions to inhibit his left scalenes and to regain the function of left side bending.

Fortunately, I had a sample of Rocktape from Adam, so I put the player’s neck into flexion, right rotation and right side bending to place his left neck muscles on stretch then applied two strips of Rocktape.

One strip was applied from the occiput to about T3 level and the other strip was applied from the mastoid process to scapular spine. My intension to use Rocktape was to inhibit the hyperactive or hypertonic muscles. I had some personal experience of inhibiting hypertonic muscle with Rocktape previously.

After those interventions during 15 mins of treatment, he was still limited to left sidebending with pain, but was able to complete the practice with the team. He ended up keeping the Rocktape on for the next four days.

Day 2, the day of the playoff game, he returned with full left cervical rotation without pain and improvement on left side bending, which was 80% of right side with minor pain. On that day, I used MET for left 1st rib, upper trap, and levator scapulae with isometric autogenic inhibition. He played the game without any complaint, and we won the game.

Day 3 and 4, he had no limitation on both left rotation and side bending and no pain. On that day, I used MET for 1st rib only. No deficit with RROM for flexion, extension, both rotation, and both sidebending. He completed a practice without any complaint.

Day 5, he had returned to play without treatment. He completed a practice without any complaint.

Day 6, he had no complaint from day 5.  He played the playoff game without limitation or complaint. We won the game.

Conclusion and Discussion

In conclusion, Rocktape and manual therapy were a lifesaver for this athlete, his team, and me. Without them, I think he would continue to suffer from his tight and painful neck muscles, which could have affected the dynamics of our entire team and lost their first playoff game. Also, I was satisfied with the immediate improvement of cervical motions, especially rotation, with SCS technique. I wonder how an outcome would have been if I did not know SCS technique and just provided a very traditional intervention, such as heat modality and stretch. I need to thank my undergraduate program and faculty, which brought a SCS technique expert from University of Oregon for us to learn.

Further, I think the tape maintained immediate effects of the SCS and MET techniques and even more so enhanced inhibition of those hypertonic muscles that caused pain. Overall, I was happy that he responded so quickly and positively to the intervention thus allowing him to return to play very quickly.

References

1. Crowner BE. Cervical dystonia: Disease profile and clinical management. Phys Ther. 2007;87(11):1511-1526.

2. Patel S, Martino D. Cervical dystonia: From pathophysiology to pharmacotherapy. Behavioural Neurology. 2013;26(4):275-282.

3. Dool JVD, Visser B, Koelman JH, Engelbert RHH, Tijssen MAJ. Cervical dystonia: Effectiveness of a standardized physical therapy program; study design and protocol of a single blind randomized controlled trial. BMC Neurology. 2013;13(1):1-8.

4. Pelosin E, Avanzino L, Marchese R, et al. KinesioTaping reduces pain and modulates sensory function in patients with focal dystonia: A randomized crossover pilot study. Neurorehabilitation & Neural Repair. 2013;27(8):722.

5. Godse P, Sharma S, Palekar TJ. Effect of strain-counterstrain technique on upper trapezius trigger points. Indian Journal of Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy. 2012;6(4):77.

6. Iqbal A, Ahmed H, Shaphe A. Efficacy of muscle energy technique in combination with strain-counterstrain technique on deactivation of trigger point pain. Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy - An International Journal. 2013(3):118.

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Where Have I Been?

Howdy Folks! I am sorry that I haven't been blogging even a quarter as much as I would like to be lately. However, in all fairness I have been pretty busy. What have I been busy with you might ask? Well...on top of being an athletic trainer for a collegiate basketball team (that is ranked #4 in its division for the entire country and likely to win their second conference championship in a row), I have been busy working on and trying to complete the research project for my master's thesis.

Dr. Erson Religioso over at The Manual Therapist has been interested in my research project and asked me to write a guest blog for him where I would discuss what I was doing with and looking at for my research. I was honored but it also gave him some time off from blogging to spend with his new-born baby girl! Congrats to him for sure! Anyways, here is a link to my guest blog where I talk about my research! I need to get back on the blogging train and finish my self-SFMA series as well! Sorry for the delay, everyone.

I've got some cool cases related to my patients, SFMA, PRI, and Rock Tape to blog about once I get some more free time! Can't wait to share them all!

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