Spinal manipulation has real but limited support for cervicogenic headache, the type that starts in the joints and muscles of the upper neck. Manipulation aimed at the neck gives a small short-term edge over other hands-on treatment, manipulation of the mid-back alone doesn’t ease the headache itself, and neither holds up without exercise behind it....
Spinal manipulation is one of the most researched treatments in physical therapy for low back pain, and the evidence base has grown enough to say something specific: it works differently, and slightly better, depending on whether your pain is new or long-standing. What Spinal Manipulation Actually Does Spinal manipulation is a quick, targeted thrust applied...
Spinal manipulation dates back to Hippocrates and ancient Egyptian medicine, but the explanation for why it helps has changed more recently than the treatment itself. Patients often describe it the same way: “my spine was out of place, and the manipulation put it back.” Research has disproven that theory. Imaging taken before and after a...
Spinal manipulation has a solid evidence base for musculoskeletal pain: our articles on manipulation for low back pain and the best treatments for low back pain cover that research directly. The evidence looks very different once you move outside pain and mobility conditions and into the theory that manipulating the spine can influence internal organs...
Sciatica is an umbrella term for leg symptoms, pain, numbness, or tingling, caused by irritation or compression of a nerve root as it exits the spine. Most cases resolve with conservative care, and in our Boulder and Lafayette clinics, that usually means a combination of focused exercise, dry needling, and manual therapy. Spinal manipulation is...
A stiff neck can turn ordinary movements into a problem: checking a blind spot, reaching for the overhead bin, even rolling over in bed. The right treatment depends on what’s driving it. A neck that seized up after an awkward night’s sleep often clears on its own in a day or two. Neck pain that...
For most people with low back pain, the treatments with the strongest support are hands-on joint mobilization or manipulation to calm pain early, followed by progressive exercise to build capacity and keep it from coming back. That is the core finding of the current clinical practice guideline for physical therapists, published by George and colleagues...
The muscles of the neck are responsible for movements of the head and shoulder blade, as well as, stabilization of the head on the neck during daily activities. These muscles must be capable of both low repetition, high force contractions as well as high repetition, low force contractions to accomplish these tasks. Patient’s with neck...
Neck pain is a common source of musculoskeletal pain with up to 70% of Americans experiencing neck pain at some point in their lives. In the early or acute phases of pain, hands on treatment including spinal manipulation and joint mobilization have been shown to reduce pain and disability due to neck symptoms. If left...
In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we commonly see patients with back pain that have not improved with other Physical Therapy clinics. Our Physical Therapists focus on the utilization of high level exercise, manual therapy, including spinal manipulation, and dry needling for the treatment of both acute and chronic low back...
