Neural Mobilization: Treating Nerve-Related Musculoskeletal Conditions

Physical therapists often assess and treat patients whose pain and disability stem from impaired mobility of the peripheral nervous system. Neural mobilization is a movement-based therapy, applied manually or via exercise. The nerve is mobilized relative to adjacent structures, with the aim of reducing symptoms through mechanisms that may be mechanical or neurophysiologic. A new systematic review published in the September 2017 issue of JOSPT includes 40 studies of neural mobilization in various neuromusculoskeletal conditions. The available evidence suggests that neural mobilization can be considered when treating certain nerve-related musculoskeletal conditions. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(9):616. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0509