Informational Manual Therapy to Improve Standing Balance
Condition: Balance Postural; Pain; Quality of Life
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the effect of Informational Manual Therapy
      (IMT) on quiet standing and quality of life in healthy individuals. The IMT also is known as
      the Poyet-Pialoux method, is a holistic, no orthopedic, and soft manual therapy.

      Design: This is a one-group pretest-posttest design. It is a within-subjects experiment in
      which each participant is tested first under the control condition and then under the
      treatment condition.

      Setting: University laboratory. Intervention: One IMT session was performed on 57 healthy
      individuals aged from 18 to 65 years. They were grouped into three age groups. The treatment
      session was performed by 5 therapists on two days. The primary outcome was quite standing
      assessed by the SATEL force platform. Secondary outcomes were bodily pain assessed by the
      pain sections of the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and quality of life by EQ-5D-3L
      (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression). The primary
      outcome was evaluated before and immediately after treatment and after 7-10 days. The
      secondary outcomes were assessed after treatment and 3 weeks later.
    

Detailed description: 
      Methods Study Design: The study has a one-group pretest-posttest design. The personal data of
      individuals were kept confidential and the data were shared anonymously upon request from the
      principal researcher. The TREND statement will be followed.

      Subjects Fifty-seven participants will be recruited to participate in this study; the sample
      was one of convenience. The inclusion and exclusion criteria are as follows: age from 18 to
      65 years old, not having a positive diagnosis for any disease which influences balance, no
      participation in any other trial, not suffering from an injury in the 3 months before the
      study or fractures in the previous 6 months, and no falls in the previous month. All
      individuals provided informed consent before enrolment.

      Intervention All the participants received a single session of 30-45 min of IMT. All the
      treatment sessions took place at the UIC laboratory. The IMT session was performed over two
      days by four physiotherapists and a doctor. All have more than five years of experience in
      IMT treatment.

      The first level of IMT was treated in this study: the objective is to harmonize the
      Cranio-sacral and sacro-pelvic systems, as this is fundamental for maintaining good posture.
      The first therapeutic maneuvers should be focused on releasing of the sacrum and the pelvis.
      The first is considered a key area for the correct transmission of forces and loads from the
      lower limbs to the upper limbs and vice versa and shares the role of rigid elements for this
      purpose (bones) and tensile elements (muscles, ligaments, fascia) in the whole body. At this
      level. Compensatory injuries that the body has started after a primary injury are treated on
      this level, through the Fluidic Chains. This also includes the treatment of some traumatic
      injuries, such as cranial strains, the compression of spheno-basilar synchondrosis, injuries
      of the pelvis and occipital bone, and damage to the flexion-extension and lateral
      displacement of the vertebrae. The diagnosis of this level is performed by cranial somotopias
      (reflex points on the skull and face). Practically all the treatment is carried out on the
      sacrum. The first step is the "fuses," which are vibration zones that act as a protection
      system for the body (1). These points sometimes stop working, which interrupts the correct
      movement of the PRM: 1st fuse: Inn-trang (on the forehead between the two eyebrows, the 4th
      sacral vertebra is stimulated if it is not adjusted). A massage on the scalp in several very
      soft circles that goes from the frontal to the occipital area is performed 6 times. 2nd fuse:
      1st dorsal vertebra, 4th cervical, 4th dorsal, and 3rd lumbar. 3rd fuse: C0 (base of the
      occipital), a zone of the 2nd sacral vertebra, and the space between the spines of the 2nd
      and 3rd dorsal vertebrae and finally point R1 (between the 2nd and 3 rd metatarsal). If any
      point is blocked it is treated and harmonized with a soft touch towards the occipital.
    

Intervention name(s): Manual Therapy
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): The first level of IMT was treated in this study: the objective is to harmonize the cranio-sacral and sacro-pelvic systems, as this is fundamental for maintaining good posture. The first therapeutic maneuvers should be focused on releasing of the sacrum and the pelvis. The first is considered a key area for the correct transmission of forces and loads from the lower limbs to the upper limbs and vice versa and shares the role of rigid elements for this purpose (bones) and tensile elements (muscles, ligaments, fascia) in the whole body. In this level. Compensatory injuries that the body has started after a primary injury are treated on this level, through the Fluidic Chains. The diagnosis of this level is performed by cranial somotopias. Practically all the treatment is carried out on the sacrum. The first step are the "fuses," which are vibration zones which act as a protection system for the body. These points sometimes stop working, which interrupts the correct movement of the PRM.
Other intervention name(s): Poyet-Pialoux method
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Intervention model description: The study has a one-group pretest-posttest design.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: balance; pain; quality of life; manual therapy