Thoracic muscle energy treatment
Notes
Thoracic spine
Thoracic and lumbar muscle energy treatment
Refer to the “Diagnosing thoracic spine somatic dysfunction” learn page to obtain a proper diagnosis prior to beginning thoracic muscle energy treatment.
After placing the patient into the restrictive barrier, the patient's contractions are appropriate to the physician’s counterforce and are held for 3–5 seconds. The patient is then placed towards the new “feather edge” of the barrier and asked to contract appropriately again against the counterforce. This process is repeated 3–5 times.
After placing the patient into the restrictive barrier, the patient's contractions are appropriate to the physician’s counterforce and are held for 3–5 seconds. The patient is then placed towards the new “feather edge” of the barrier and asked to contract appropriately again against the counterforce. This process is repeated 3–5 times.
| THORACIC MUSCLE ENERGY | |||||
| REGION | DIAGNOSIS | INITIAL POSITION (RESTRICTIVE BARRIER) | PATIENT FORCE (POST-ISOMETRIC RELAXATION) | ||
| T1–T4 | T1–3 N SLRR | Side bend and rotate head and neck to T2 N SRRL | Head and neck away from restrictive barrier | ||
| T5–T12 | T8 F SRRR | Side bend and rotate torso to T8 E SLRL | Torso away from restrictive barrier | ||
LUMBAR MUSCLE ENERGY
Seated lumbar muscle energy is performed similarly to thoracic muscle energy. The patient sits on the treatment table while you passively place the patient into the restrictive barrier, localizing the forces to the dysfunctional segment.
When performing lateral recumbent muscle energy, you will:
When performing lateral recumbent muscle energy, you will:
- Lay the patient on the side of rotation at the dysfunctional segment
- Lower the patient’s ankles and feet towards the floor for a type I somatic dysfunction / Elevate the patient’s ankles and feet towards the ceiling for a type II somatic dysfunction
| LUMBAR MUSCLE ENERGY (ME) | |||||
| TYPE OF ME | DIAGNOSIS | INITIAL POSITION (RESTRICTIVE BARRIER) | PATIENT FORCE (POST-ISOMETRIC RELAXATION) | ||
| Seated | L3–5 N SLRR | Side bend and rotate torso to L4 N SRRL | Torso away from restrictive barrier | ||
| Lateral recumbent | L1–L3 N SRRL | Left lateral recumbent with back on table (to induce right rotation at L2) and feet and ankles pushed towards floor (to induce left side bending at L2) | Feet and ankles up toward ceiling | ||
| Lateral recumbent | L3 F SRRR L3 E SRRR | Right lateral recumbent with back on table (to induce left rotation) and feet and ankles lifted towards ceiling (to induce left side bending) | Feet and ankles down toward floor | ||
Summary
Thoracic muscle energy treatment is a manual therapy technique used to restore normal function and mobility to the thoracic spine and rib cage. The technique involves applying controlled, gentle force to the affected area, while the patient performs specific movements designed to help stretch and strengthen the muscles and joints. Thoracic muscle energy treatment can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including thoracic back pain, rib pain, and postural problems. It is also commonly used in sports medicine to treat injuries to the thoracic spine and rib cage.