HOW DOES TERMINOLOGY AFFECT OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE LITERATURE RELATING TO THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINE DISORDERS?
Kotoulas, M; Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. PURPOSE: Manual techniques, including joint manipulation and joint mobilization, are frequently used in the treatment of low back pain. Clinical studies establishing the efficacy of these manual techniques must include operational definitions that clearly outline their method of application. This report examines whether clinical studies make an adequate distinction between manipulation and mobilization when establishing the efficacy of these manual techniques in the treatment of lumbar spine disorders. DESCRIPTION: A literature search was conducted for the period 1986 to 2000. Only randomized clinical studies concerned with the efficacy of manipulation and/or mobilization of the lumbar spine were selected. All clinical studies were assessed on their methodological quality and inclusion of definitions for manipulations and/or mobilizations used. A validated scoring system was used to assess the
