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Spinal manipulation and mobilisation in paediatrics - an international evidence-based position statement for
Anita R Gross1, Kenneth A Olson2, Jan Pool3
1Rehabilitation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Insights
Physiotherapists should use caution with spinal manipulation and mobilization in children, avoiding use in infants and for non-musculoskeletal conditions. Limited evidence supports use for specific pediatric musculoskeletal issues.
Area of Science:
- Physiotherapy
- Paediatric Musculoskeletal Health
- Evidence-Based Practice
Background:
- An international taskforce developed evidence-based position statements for physiotherapists.
- Focus on safe and effective use of spinal manipulation and mobilization in pediatric populations (<18 years).
- Addressed both musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide clinical reasoning guidance for physiotherapists on spinal manipulation and mobilization in children.
- To develop evidence-based practice position statements for pediatric populations.
- To ensure safe and effective application of these techniques.
Main Methods:
- A three-stage guideline development process was employed.
- Included a literature review (scoping and psychometric properties), a 3-Round Delphi survey with experts, and refinement through evidence-to-decision analysis.
- Position statements were developed with multilayer review processes.
Main Results:
- Spinal manipulation and mobilization are not recommended for infants or for non-musculoskeletal pediatric conditions.
- May be appropriate for adolescents with musculoskeletal conditions, children with neck-back pain (thoracic manipulation), or children with spinal mobility impairments (mobilization).
- No high-certainty evidence supports these interventions; mild to severe harms have been reported, but risk rates are undetermined.
Conclusions:
- Specific directives were identified to guide physiotherapists' clinical reasoning.
- Future research should prioritize trials for pediatric neck-back pain, outcome measure properties, knowledge translation, and harms.
- Evidence-based guidelines are crucial for appropriate pediatric spinal manipulation and mobilization use.
Introduction:
An international taskforce of clinician-scientists was formed by specialty groups of World Physiotherapy - International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists (IFOMPT) & International Organisation of Physiotherapists in Paediatrics (IOPTP) - to develop evidence-based practice position statements directing physiotherapists clinical reasoning for the safe and effective use of spinal manipulation and mobilisation for paediatric populations (<18 years) with varied musculoskeletal or non-musculoskeletal conditions.
Method:
A three-stage guideline process using validated methodology was completed: 1. Literature review stage (one scoping review, two reviews exploring psychometric properties); 2. Delphi stage (one 3-Round expert Delphi survey); and 3. Refinement stage (evidence-to-decision summative analysis, position statement development, evidence gap map analyses, and multilayer review processes).
Results:
Evidence-based practice position statements were developed to guide the appropriate use of spinal manipulation and mobilisation for paediatric populations. All were predicated on clinicians using biopsychosocial clinical reasoning to determine when the intervention is appropriate.1. It is not recommended to perform:• Spinal manipulation and mobilisation on infants.• Cervical and lumbar spine manipulation on children.•Spinal manipulation and mobilisation on infants, children, and adolescents for non-musculoskeletal paediatric conditions including asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, breastfeeding difficulties, cerebral palsy, infantile colic, nocturnal enuresis, and otitis media.2. It may be appropriate to treat musculoskeletal conditions including spinal mobility impairments associated with neck-back pain and neck pain with headache utilising:• Spinal mobilisation and manipulation on adolescents;• Spinal mobilisation on children; or• Thoracic manipulation on children for neck-back pain only.3. No high certainty evidence to recommend these interventions was available.Reports of mild to severe harms exist; however, risk rates could not be determined.
Conclusion:
Specific directives to guide physiotherapists' clinical reasoning on the appropriate use of spinal manipulation or mobilisation were identified. Future research should focus on trials for priority conditions (neck-back pain) in children and adolescents, psychometric properties of key outcome measures, knowledge translation, and harms.
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