The Mulligan Technique

The Mulligan Technique:

MWM (Movement with Mobilization) concept is a relatively new and unique method of the physiotherapy treatment focusing on correcting the “altered arthrokinematics” (angular movement of bone) or “joint positional fault” by mobilizing joints during active movement.

Difference between Joint Positional Fault and Normal joint movement:

When an injury/sprain occurs, it might result in a minor “positional fault” to a joint which could result in restricted movement, stiffness or pain while performing specific movement. This simply means that when joint is in a DEFAULT position, movement is not proper and the good news it can be corrected with MWM.

Normal joints have been designed in such a way that the shape of the articular surfaces, the thickness of the cartilage, the orientation of the fibres of ligaments and capsule, the direction of pull of muscles and tendons, facilitate normal and controlled movement.
Normal proprioceptive feedback maintains this balance. Alteration in any or all of the above-mentioned factors would alter the joint position during movement and would provoke symptoms of pain, stiffness or weakness in the patient.

Physiotherapist identify the signs may be; a loss of joint movement, pain associated with movement, or pain associated with specific functional activities during detailed assessment when you come to our clinic.
While the accessory glide is maintained by physiotherapist, the patient is requested to move their complained/painful body part to the restricted direction to check if the restriction has been improved – immediate improvement can be evaluated by checking increased range of active motion, muscle contraction and free of the original pain reported by patient. Physiotherapist pay extra attention to the patient’s reaction to ensure no pain is felt while applying this technique.

Once the therapist discovered the correct pain-free arthrokinematics adjustment glide, the previously limited and/or painful movement is repeated by the patient while the therapist continues to hold the appropriate glide. Further gains are expected with repetition during a treatment session particularly when pain-free overpressure is applied.

Which condition treated with this new technique called MWM: Benefits of MWM.

This specific exercise patterns are pain free which helps to improve range of motion and provide better functional mobility. It can be applied to any joints in the body. Both the clinician and patient can quickly assess the value of this approach by its ability to immediately abolish painful limitation of function; an immediate improvement in pain, mobility and function.

• Whenever patient has pain which is biomechanical in nature and not the inflammatory.
• Limited mobility due to acute or sub acute pain.
• Loss of motion due to arthritic condition.
• Cervicogenic headache; tennis elbow; ankle sprain; wrist pain; shoulder conditions; knee pains to name few.

Almost every kind of pain can be treated after carefully ruled out any contra-indication to this technique.