Jeff Langmaid introduces manual therapy’s previously shown effects on posture (head position, thoracic kyphosis, pelvic position) and related functions (postural stability, balance, ROM, strength). He explains these changes may alter sensorimotor processes (motor unit behavior, cortical drive, motor control, joint position sense) and frames the study’s question: whether manual manipulation influences gait.
So manual therapy has been shown previously to improve overall posture. This can impact things like head position, thoracic kyphosis, pelvic position. It also can impact and influence postural stability, balance, range of motion, and strength. Now, all of these changes, influences improvements that happen through manipulation can, of course, then impact motor unit behavior, cortical drive, cortical processing, sensorimotor integration, motor control, joint position sense, all of those items, which is really interesting because when you think about manipulation or an adjustment being delivered, again, they're using manual manipulation, which encapsulates more than just a chiropractic adjustment with massage, osteopathic treatment, et cetera. But there's a lot that goes on when touch is involved, when movement is involved. A lot happens through input and output. And this study was looking at how can this impact gait.
