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. 2023 Dec 17;32(1):96–110. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2023.2288495

Table 3.

Non-osseous treatment techniques used by 5 manual therapy (MT) professions.

Nonosseous Techniquea Chiropractic Massage Therapy Osteopathic Physiotherapy Structural Integration
Manual
Cranial/balanced membranous tension     Cranial/balanced membranous tension    
End-of-session back         End-of-session back
End-of-session cervical-cranial         End-of-session cervical-cranial
End-of-session sacral-pelvic         End-of-session sacral-pelvic
Facilitated positional release   Facilitated positional release Facilitated positional release    
Fascial distortion model     Fascial distortion model    
Gliding, stroking, effleurage   Gliding, stroking, effleurage      
Kneading, twisting, petrissage   Kneading, twisting, petrissage      
Lifting myofascial sheet         Lifting myofascial sheet
Lymphatic   Lymphatic drainage Fluid/lymphatic    
Muscle energy   Muscle energy Muscle energy Muscle energy  
Myofascial Myofascial Myofascial/connective tissue Myofascial release    
Neural mobilization Neural mobilization     Nerve glide/neural mobilization  
Oscillation   Oscillation      
Percussion   Percussion      
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation      
Sacro-occipital Sacro-occipital        
Separating at inter/intramuscular septa         Separating at inter/intramuscular septa
Shear stress/friction   Shear stress/friction      
Shearing across collagenous fibers         Shearing across collagenous fibers
Shearing parallel to collagenous fibers         Shearing parallel to collagenous fibers
Soft tissue Soft tissue techniques   Soft tissue method Soft tissue mobilization  
Spreading from a midline         Spreading from a midline
Static methods: resting/holding   Static methods: resting/holding      
Strain counterstrain Strain counterstrain Strain counterstrain Strain counterstrain Strain counterstrain  
Sustained pressure at 1 location         Sustained pressure at 1 location
Sustained pressure at bony attachments         Sustained pressure at bony attachments
Sustained pressure directly into joint gap         Sustained pressure directly into joint gap
Trigger point therapy   Trigger point therapy      
Visceral manipulation     Visceral manipulation    
Instrument-assisted
Cupping/suction   Cupping/suction      
Percussion/vibration   Percussion/vibration Percussion hammer    
Scraping   Scraping      
Soft tissue Soft tissue     Soft tissue  

aTechniques in italics are used by more than 1 MT profession.