Laurie's Blogs.

Wee!  I love when I come across a paper that presents something amazing from out of left field.  Here’s one that does exactly that!

McCoss CA, Johnston R, Edwards DJ, Millward C. Preliminary evidence of Regional Interdependent Inhibition, using a 'Diaphragm Release' to specifically induce an immediate hypoalgesic effect in the cervical spine. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2017 Apr;21(2):362-374. 

Let me break it down.

Basically the articles goes into saying that many osteopaths and manual therapists will use a technique called a ‘Diaphragm Release.’  (I do!)  They mention that there isn’t much in the literature to support the use of this techniques specifically on pain outcomes.  

So, this group went about to study whether doing a diaphragm release could have an impact on the C4 paraspinal musculature.  Do any of the physios remember the rhyme “C3, 4, 5… keeps the diaphragm alive!”  Maybe it’s just me and a handful of other semi-dyslexics out there that need that sort of thing.  Anyways, that’s why they selected C4. Forgive me the digression!

They used pressure pain thresholds as their measurement tool, and in addition to testing the C4 musculature (bilaterally), they also evaluated the lateral end of the clavicle and upper 1/3 of the tibialis anterior before and after the diaphragm release.

AND???

So, they did find a statistically significant hypoalgesic effect at the C4 spinal segment bilaterally.  They did not see any effect in the clavicle region or the tibialis anterior.  That’s okay… I’d have a harder time explaining those, and coming up with a rhyme to make sense of it!!

The researchers summed it all up with:

This study supports a novel neurophysiological mechanism, Regional Interdependent Inhibition, to induce a hypoalgesic state at segmentally related spinal segments, specifically C4. Suggesting that directing treatment towards the diaphragm, using a 'Diaphragm Release', could induce an immediate clinically and statistically significant hypoalgesic effect local to the fourth cervical segment due to its relationship with the phrenic nerve.

Groovy!

So, what’s your canine application?

The canine diaphragm is supplied by the phrenic nerve which is innervated from C5 – 7 and a wee bit from C4.  (I hate when there are differences like this!  Like, why????)  So, potentially if you have a patient with C5 – 7 neck pain, you could throw in a diaphragm release as part of your treatment, and be justified that you could have a pain-relieving affect.

Beyond the diaphragm, it’s pretty cool to think of the applications for back pain, etc., using myofascial releases!!!  (Trigger point releases, muscle tension releases, fascial techniques…)

So, go ahead and try it!  (For members, I have a video on FourLeg about doing Diaphragm releases, and for those wanting to learn more about myofascial techniques, come and hang out with me for a day of it at the STAAR Conference – www.STAARconference.com

Cheers!  Laurie