Neurodynamics/Neuro Mobilization

Related Authors: David Butler Physio, Michel Coppieters PT, PhD, Michael Shacklock DipPhysio, Dr Alf Breig

"Essentially the entire nervous system is a continuous structure and it moves and slides in the body as we move and the movement is related to critical physiological processes such as blood flow to neurones. This movement is quite dramatic and it is not hard to imagine that fluid such as blood in the nerve bed, a constricting scar, inflammation around the nerve or a nerve having to contend with arthritic changes or proximity to an unstable joint could have damaging effects, some of which could lead to pain."
Source

"Neurdynamics is an innovative management tools involve conservative decompression of nerves, various neural mobilising techniques and patient education techniques. Neurodynamics offers a fresh understanding and management strategies for common syndromes such as plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, nerve root disorders, carpal tunnel syndromes and spinal pain."
Source

"Neuro mobilization is a method of conservative treatment of disorders of neural tissue. The rationale for using neuro mobilization in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions is based on in vivo and in vitro studies which point to a high efficacy of neuro mobilization procedures. Appropriate use of neuro mobilization procedures depends on excellent knowledge of normal and pathological anatomy, differences between individual etiological factors, development of disease and symptom variability."
Source

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH:
Neurodynamics: is an area of research in the cognitive sciences which places a strong focus upon the spatio-temporal (dynamic) character of neural activity in describing brain function.

Mechanism of Action

CORE LIST: Mobilisation of the Nervous System. Butler, D. S. (1991). Melbourne: Churchill Livingstone.
CORE LIST: The Coppieters Papers (PubMed)
Ann Chir Main Memb Super. 1990;9(2):87-97.
The gliding apparatus of peripheral nerve and its clinical significance.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1998 Jan;27(1):16-21.
Adverse neural tension: a factor in repetitive hamstring strain?
Man Ther. 1997 May;2(2):98-105.
Relationship between the cervical component of the slump test and change in hamstring muscle tension.
Man Ther. 1996 Sep;1(4):192-197.
An investigation of neural tissue involvement in ankle inversion sprains.
Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol. 2002 Dec;42(8):459-71.
Changes in alpha-motoneuron excitability with positions that tension neural tissue.
J Orthop Res. 2007 Jul;25(7):972-80.
Longitudinal excursion and strain in the median nerve during novel nerve gliding exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome.
J Hand Surg [Am]. 2001 Jul;26(4):655-62.
Ulnar nerve excursion and strain at the elbow and wrist associated with upper extremity motion.
J Hand Surg [Am]. 2005 Sep;30(5):990-6.
Radial nerve excursion and strain at the elbow and wrist associated with upper-extremity motion.
Man Ther. 2007 Mar 29; [Epub ahead of print]
Do 'sliders' slide and 'tensioners' tension? An analysis of neurodynamic techniques and considerations regarding their application.
Adv Ther. 2005 Sep-Oct;22(5):467-75.
Can we use nerve gliding exercises in women with carpal tunnel syndrome?
J Hand Ther. 1998 Jul-Sep;11(3):171-9.
Nerve and tendon gliding exercises and the conservative management of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Man Ther. 2007 Feb;12(1):e7-8.
Neurodynamics in a broader perspective.
J Hand Ther. 1997 Apr-Jun;10(2):86-95.
The integration of pain sciences into clinical practice.
Manual Therapy Volume 10, Issue 1, February 2005, 52-60
The impact of neurodynamic testing on the perception of experimentally induced muscle pain
Physiotherapy Volume 84, Issue 6, June 1998, Pages 254-261
Changes in Mechanical Tension in the Median Nerve: Possible implications for the upper limb tension test
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2001 May;31(5):226-35; discussion 236-7.Addition of test components during neurodynamic testing: effect on range of motion and sensory responses.
Man Ther. 2007 Oct 1Longitudinal sliding of the median nerve in patients with non-specific arm pain.
Man Ther. 2006 Nov;11(4):279-86. Epub 2005 Dec 27.Slump stretching in the management of non-radicular low back pain: a pilot clinical trial.
Physiother Res Int. 2002;7(3):146-56.Reliability of detecting 'onset of pain' and 'submaximal pain' during neural provocation testing of the upper quadrant.
Man Ther. 2007 May;12(2):153-60.Neurodynamic responses in children with migraine or cervicogenic headache versus a control group. A comparative study.

Question/Refute

Manual Therapy 10 (2005) (3), pp. 175–179.
Improving application of neurodynamic (neural tension) testing and treatments: A message to researchers and clinicians Michael Shacklock
Spine. 2001 Dec 15;26(24):2647-52.
Randomized controlled trial of neural mobilization after spinal surgery.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1997 Jul;26(1):7-13.
Comparison of nonballistic active knee extension in neural slump position and static stretch techniques on hamstring flexibility.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1998 Apr;27(4):295-300.
The effect of static stretch and dynamic range of motion training on the flexibility of the hamstring muscles.
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 Feb;81(2):108-13.
Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome with nerve and tendon gliding exercises.
Man Ther. 2000 Nov;5(4):214-22.
An investigation to compare the effectiveness of carpal bone mobilisation and neurodynamic mobilisation as methods of treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.
J Hand Ther. 2005 Apr-Jun;18(2):241-58.
Upper limb neural tension testing and mobilization. Fact, fiction, and a practical approach.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Spring 2009

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2009 Jan 21;10(1):11. [Epub ahead of print]
Reliability of clinical tests to evaluate nerve function and mechanosensitivity of the upper limb peripheral nervous system.
Spine. 2009 Jan 1;34(1):E1-8.
Motor control patterns during an active straight leg raise in pain-free subjects.
J Man Manip Ther. 2008;16(1):8-22.
Neural mobilization: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials with an analysis of therapeutic efficacy.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

October 2008

Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2006 Jun;64(2A):277-82. Epub 2006 Jun 9.
Relationship between adverse neural tension and nerve conduction studies in patients with symptoms of the carpal tunnel syndrome

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

September 2008

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008 Jul-Aug;31(6):474-83.
The impact of muscular variation on the neurodynamic test for the median nerve in a healthy population with Langer's axillary arch.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

April 2008

Manual Therapy and Neural Mobilization: Our Approach and Personal Observations - Schroder
The Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy Vol. 16 No. 1 (2008), 8-22. Neural Mobilization: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials with an Analysis of Therapeutic Eficacy
Am J Vet Res. 2006 Oct;67(10):1773-9.
Evaluation of the anatomic effect of physical therapy exercises for mobilization of lumbar spinal nerves and the dura mater in dogs.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

March 2008

SomaSimple - Interview w/ Michael Shacklock (Requires Free Registration)

Thursday, January 3, 2008

January 2008

Man Ther. 2007 May;12(2):153-60.
Neurodynamic responses in children with migraine or cervicogenic headache versus a control group. A comparative study.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2001 May;31(5):226-35; discussion 236-7.
Addition of test components during neurodynamic testing: effect on range of motion and sensory responses.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

December 2007

Man Ther. 2007 Oct 1
Longitudinal sliding of the median nerve in patients with non-specific arm pain.