Benefits of the Mulligan Concept in Physiotherapy

The Mulligan Concept was developed by a New Zealand physiotherapist named Brian Mulligan. The practice involves manual therapy techniques designed to relieve pain and increase range of motion and is often used to treat conditions including neck and back pain, shoulder pain/impingement, ankle sprains, tennis elbow and cerviogenic headaches and dizziness. Also known as Mobilization with Movement, the Mulligan Concept uses the benefit of passive mobilization and adds active movement to produce the desired range of motion and degree of pain relief. Not all physical therapy clinics will have a therapist trained in this manual therapy technique, so you may have to search until you find someone certified to teach the concept.

The Mulligan Concept includes weight lifting techniques, using patient feedback and functional movement to diagnose and correct positional failures and restore patients to normal pain control function. By helping the body and its joints to function in a more normal, biomechanically efficient manner, therapists who practice the Mulligan Concept are able to help patients with shoulder pain, tennis elbow, and stiff back. The goal behind Mulligan techniques is both an increase in range of motion and pain relief. Using techniques of muscle kneading and manipulation, joint mobilization, and joint manipulation, a Mulligan practitioner can help patients return to normal pain-free function faster.

Proponents of Mulligan’s techniques claim that signs and symptoms improve and that the use of manual therapy highlights the value of movement in maintaining the health and strength of collagen, muscle, and bone tissue. The improvement in signs is associated with the fact that pain is the main sign of misaligned joints. Pain is a sign that the treatment is not working and a clear indication that the technique should be changed. With the Mulligan Concept, relief from the pain of a mechanical amendment is the signal that the goal has been achieved. These clear signals allow therapists to provide more efficient and targeted care for back pain, ankle sprains, and reduced motion in the shoulders.

Physical therapy cannot guarantee results, but some techniques provide a better chance of healing when it comes to specific injuries and debilitating conditions. Mulligan’s methods have been cited to improve conditions including back pain, shoulder pain, ankle sprains, and tennis elbow and should be considered as an option to relieve pain and restore normal range of motion. If you are interested in pursuing this course of therapy, find a therapist who is certified to perform mobilization with movement.