Osteopathic Thoracic Treatment: Muscle Energy Technique

00:00 So we're gonna talk about a facilitated positional release.

00:04 This is good for people who need soft techniques and you find a limitation in their motion.

00:10 Typically a person should be able to rotate 90 degrees, rotate 90 degrees.

00:14 Side bend 45, side bend 45.

00:17 Flex down to 90 and extend 15 degrees.

00:20 If you have a limitation, if they can't twist, then you figure out which segment is contributing to the inability to move.

00:31 Let's say it's third or fourth thoracic vertebrae and if it is a type 1 or type 2, type 1 being flexing and rotating to opposite sides.

00:45 Type 2 is to the same side.

00:49 You'll then reproduce it and go in the direction it allows you to go.

00:56 And then hold it for 3 to 5 seconds and see if you can ease up the motion and then you recheck the motion.

01:08 This differs from muscle energy procedure where you're gonna do it and have the person pull against you.

01:15 It's still isometric but let's say the patient can't rotate to the right.

01:20 I'm gonna use a muscle energy procedure, put this on your elbow and let me have you pull yourself to the left.

01:31 One, two, three, four, five and relax.

01:34 Then you go a little bit further.

01:36 Pull to the left again, one, two, three, four, five and relax.

01:41 Each time taking more motion taking up the slack engaging a barrier and moving him until I restore full motion in the back.

01:50 And relax and see if we have full motion.

01:54 That's a muscle energy procedure of the thoracic spine.