Manual therapy has grown to be a fairly controversial in recent years. Manual therapy frequently covers the physical rehabilitation methods of mobilization and manipulation. That conflict is based surrounding the insufficient good research that actually indicates it really works. Which doesn't imply that this doesn't help, it really shows that the standard of the analysis that advocates for its clinical application is of low quality. The additional matter that is making it controversial is if it does help, then so how exactly does it help. Previously it was the theatrical cracking noise as a joint is snapped back into place. All the research right now demonstrates that that is not the way it improves outcomes plus it perhaps helps by way of some kind of pain disturbance method giving the sense the pain is improved. Not any of this is completely apparent and more scientific studies are continuing to try and deal with this issue. This poses a challenge for clinicians who use these kinds of manual therapy approaches and want to make selections on how to help their clients clinically but still always be evidence based with their work.
A freshly released episode of the podiatry chat show, PodChatLive made an effort to tackle these kinds of problems when it comes to manual therapy for foot problems. In this show the hosts chatted with Dave Cashley who provided his personal experience both from his years of clinical practice and his own research on manipulation and mobilization. His research has recently been on its use for Morton's neuroma and it's appearing to be promising. Dave also voices his viewpoint on a number of the criticisms which have been geared towards manual therapy. He is a podiatrist as well as a respected international speaker and lecturer. He is a fellow with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and has now published several publications on podiatric manual therapy in the literature in recent times. During his career, he has worked alongside professional athletes, elite athletes, world champions, worldwide dancing groups as well as the British armed forces.