Hi Mike:
Thanks for your response. Please see my comments below.
> "Douglas M. White" wrote:
>
> > Mike:
> >
> > Have you read the studies I cited? If so, what do you make of them?
> >
> Hi Doug,
>
> Yes, I did read at least one of the JOSPT articles. They were written as
I
> recall by people in the military who had taken some of the Upledger
courses.
> As I recall, the thrust of the pieces was that they used Cranial
Technique in
> their own practice but bemoaned the fact that there was little research to
> back up the science behind the concept.
I would encourage you to read all three of the studies. Not only is there a
"dearth of good research to back it all up" but there is good research that
shows that CS motion cannot be palpated as advocated by its believers.
>
> To address that particular issue I guess I would have to agree - there is
a
> dearth of good research to back it all up. That is in turn a shame
because it
> is an enormously powerful treatment modality that finds usefulness in the
> management of many somatic complaints including spinal dysfunction and
> headache complaint. Cranial suffers from the same difficulty that many
> physiotherapy treatment approaches do - namely there's no product or
company
> that is likely to benefit from enquiry into this area - so nothing gets
> done...
I would disagree, there are many continuing education providers selling this
to PTs and all sorts of others. Some of them have made millions and millions
of dollars. There are many PTs and others performing this technique on
people and charging them and/or their insurance companies money for it.
Maybe nothing gets done because they don't want to know what the evidence
will show?
I know you are using the techneque with all the best intentions. I also do
not doubt that some of your patients get better while you are using the
techneque. However, I would suggest that whatever the mechanism it is not CS
therapy that is helping your patients. Time was many years ago CS was a
novel idea. I am all for novel ideas. However, at some point those who are
promoting and selling the idea must act responsibly by conducting the
research and utilizing the research done by others. The time has long passed
on this one, the research is not only lacking in support but there is
research that shows it does not work. IMHO until there is good research to
support its use CS therapy has no place in PT practice.
<snip>
Collegially yours
Doug
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