Man Ther. 2001 Nov; 6(4): 197-204.

Spinal manipulative thrust technique using combined movement theory.

McCarthy CJ.

The Centre for Rehabilitation Science, University of Manchester, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK. cmcarth@fs1.nu.man.ac.uk

Spinal Manipulative Thrust Technique (SMTT) is employed by all manual therapy professions using different rationales for the selection of technique. A method of rationally selecting particular SMTT's is described with a view to integrating SMTT into the practice of manual therapists familiar with Combined Movement Theory (CMT), a corollary of the Maitland Concept. The similarities of CMT and SMTT methodologies are described and two examples of how CMT can be utilized for SMTT selection in the cervical spine are detailed.Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.