Howard Makofsky, Siji Panicker Jeanine Abbruzzese, Cynthia Aridas, Michael Camp, Jonelle Drakes, Caroline Franco, Ray Sileo
Joint mobilization and manipulation stimulate mechanoreceptors, which may influence the joint and surrounding muscles. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effect of grade IV inferior hip joint mobilization on hip abductor torque. Thirty healthy subjects were randomly assigned to a control group (grade I inferior hip joint mobilization) or an experimental group (grade IV inferior hip joint mobilization). Subjects performed a pre- and post-intervention test of five isometric repetitions on the Cybex Norm dynamometer; the average torque was determined for both pre- and post-intervention measurements. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups for an increase in hip abductor torque in the experimental group. The experimental group demonstrated a 17.35% increase in average torque whereas the control group demonstrated a 3.68% decrease in average torque. These findings are consistent with other studies demonstrating that the use of grade IV non-thrust mobilization improves strength immediately post-intervention in healthy individuals. The results of this pilot study provide physical therapists with further support for the utilization of manual therapy in conjunction with therapeutic exercise to enhance muscle strength.
The Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 2007, 15(2), 103-111