This case study investigated the effectiveness of manual lymph therapy (MLT) for in improving pain-free range of motion of joints that were affected by arthritis and orthopedic injuries. For those who are interested in reading the entire paper and bibliography, a link to download the paper is also provided after the summary.
Summary
There is emerging evidence that manual lymphatic treatment (MLT) effectively reduces edema and improves restricted range of motion (ROM) of arthritic joints and chronically restricted joints after orthopedic injuries. This case study investigated the effectiveness of MLT in improving pain-free ROM of joints that were affected by arthritis and orthopedic injuries.
The client in this study has been experiencing chronically reduced ROM of arthritic right knee and left hip since minor meniscal injury and a soft-tissue strain. A single 45-minute MLT was provided. As a result, the pain-free ROM of the left hip immediately improved but that of right knee remained the same. The selective improvement of the ROM indicated that the restriction of ROM of each joint might have been caused by different mechanisms. Given a torsional change of the right knee alignment, the limitation of ROM of the right knee originated structurally, being unresponsive to MLT. The immediate improvement of left hip ROM indicate that an interstitial inflammatory stasis may play a role in chronic pain and motion restriction of the left hip. Further investigation to confirm local inflammation in the left hip will be beneficial for the long-term care of the client.
Overall, this case study supported the increasing evidence that MLT is an effective therapy to manage arthritis and orthopedic injuries. However, it also indicated that MLT may not be effective in improving ROM if the restriction is mainly due to a structural change.
Click the link below to see the entire paper and bibliography.
Comments