Hi everyone,
This blog post will be a quick one. I often utilize the upper limb tension tests (ULTT) to assess patients with pain and other radicular symptoms going down the arm. I check first the unaffected side and then the affected side to compare asymmetries and also use it for mobilization of nerve roots. However, as a reoccuring theme I have been aggressive with my tension tests in the past just like so many other techniques and have had less than favourable results. So in accordance with my ‘less is more’ thought process (in terms of pressure/force/aggressivness) I have made some tweaks in how I perform my nerve mobilizations. This is especially true for ULTT and LLTT tests and mobs because these are provocative manuvers and ‘I like lightning bolts running down my arms and legs’ said NO ONE EVER. Today we will discuss Median Nerve Neurodynamics.
Components of Median nerve neurodynamics involve-
- Shoulder abducted to about 60 degree. (Initially, I’d abduct to around 90-110. However, Butler and his colleagues at the NOI group have suggested that shoulder abduction at 60 degrees puts the most tension on the Median nerve root and my patients also seem to tolerate this a little better so I now do it at around 60).
- Shoulder depression (I have stopped pushing down on it too much as it can be very aggressive and threatening to some patients. I just try to avoid shoulder hiking).
- Full external rotation of shoulder.
- Full elbow extension.
- Full forearm supination. (In the past, I would often leave some slack here due to focusing on shoulder depression. Try to get end range supination).
- Full wrist extension.
- Full finger extension. (Important to make sure that the PIP and DIP do not flex).
Here is a video demonstration of the test with some variations.
[wpvideo Y8vxeIfQ ]
Please note that in one of the mob variation with elbow movements, I do not press the wrist down into complete extension. That is because prior testing of this variation of nerve mobilization was very threat inducing and provocative and I didn’t want to be very aggressive.
What are your thoughts? Do you have some tweaks on hand placement, body positioning, force applied or different variations? I’d love to hear it.
In the next blog post we will discuss some home exercise programs (HEP) for self mobilization. Happy flossing (but go a little easy maybe). Until next time.
Pursue excellence.
Abhijit Minhas
(BPT, MS, CMP, FMT)
Hi Abhijit nice to see you buddy I had liked the video demonstration but there should be sound enhancement required n pls tell us about the components adding in each part of test
Hi Aditya, I am glad you liked it. I just checked the sound and I can hear it clearly. Can you not hear at all or is it low? Also, each component description is stated in the blog.