Moving Past Sleight of Hand

Carl DeRosa, Tamara Little, Britt Smith, Paul E. Mintken

DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2010.0105

Medical care historically has had a strong association with magic, illusion, and secrecy. Although we profess to be
modern healthcare practitioners, utilizing manual therapy techniques, and strive for evidence-based practice, the reality is that one of the most ubiquitous of all manual therapy techniques, manipulation, is obscured by illusive
and ill-defined terminology. As a first step in moving from magician to modern clinician, we recently proposed a
nomenclature intended to standardize and clarify the terminology used in describing specific manual therapy techniques, recommending the use of 6 key characteristics. The persistent obfuscations appear to be aimed at
obscuring the differentiation of manipulation from mobilization. The time has come for a more precise delineation
between manipulation and mobilization and to move beyond seeing these valuable interventions simply as some sleight-of-hand technique.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2010;40(5):253-255. doi:10.2519/jospt.2010.0105

KEY WORDS: manipulation, mobilization, terminology

In this guest editorial, the authors discuss the way that the term "manipulation" is obscured by ill-defined terminology, and how this terminology can affect physical therapy research, clinical practice, and patients.

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