Table 4.
Examples of interprofessional glossary definitions of manipulation and related terms with multiple descriptions as defined by the 5 manual therapy professions and basic scientists.
| Glossary Term and Descriptiona | Basic Scientist | Chiropractic | Massage Therapy | Osteopathic | Physiotherapy | Structural Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjustment | ||||||
| (1) A specific directional thrust maneuver or application of forces applied to a subluxated vertebra. (2) This term refers to a wide variety of manual and mechanical interventions that may be high or low velocity, short or long lever, high or low amplitude, and with or without recoil. |
X | |||||
| Force-based manipulation | ||||||
| Force-based manipulations refer to the application of mechanical forces to the outside of the body with therapeutic intent. | X | X | X | X | ||
| High-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) | ||||||
| An adjustment technique using high-speed and low displacement procedures to target a specific joint | X | X | ||||
| Also called a thrust treatment method. An osteopathic method in which the restrictive barrier is engaged in 1 or more planes of motion, and then a rapid, therapeutic force of brief duration traveling a short distance is applied within the anatomic range of motion. |
X | |||||
| Manipulation | ||||||
| Therapeutic application of manual force | X | X | X | X | ||
| Skillful use of the hands in a therapeutic manner. Massage manipulations focus on the soft tissues of the body and are not to be confused with joint manipulation using a high-velocity thrust. |
X | X | X | |||
| A passive, high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust applied to a joint complex within its anatomical limit with the intent to restore optimal motion and function and/or to reduce pain. | X | |||||
| (1) The therapeutic application of manual forces that move a joint quickly beyond its elastic barrier or resistance but not beyond its limit of anatomic integrity. | X | |||||
| (2) A manual procedure that involves a directed thrust to move a joint past the physiological range of motion without exceeding the anatomical limit. | X | |||||
| Thrust | ||||||
| The rapid, controlled application of force used to effect an adjustment or manipulation | X | X | X | X | ||
| The word thrust is interchangeable with the word manipulation or manipulative. At times, it is expressed as a manipulative thrust, implying the skilled force (energy) imparted to the patient/client by the clinician during the act of a manipulative technique. | X | |||||
aSome professions had multipart descriptions of terms.