Mulligan Concept manual therapy: standardizing annotation

Abstract

Quality technique documentation is integral to the practice of manual therapy, ensuring uniform application and reproducibility of treatment. Manual therapy techniques are described by annotations utilizing a range of acronyms, abbreviations and universal terminology based on biomechanical and anatomical concepts. The various combinations of therapist and patient generated forces utilized in a variety of weight-bearing positions, which are synonymous with Mulligan Concept, challenge practitioners existing annotational skills. An annotation framework with recording rules adapted to the Mulligan Concept is proposed in which the abbreviations incorporate established manual therapy tenets and are detailed in the following sequence of; starting position, side, joint/s, method of application, glide/s, Mulligan technique, movement (or function), whether an assistant is used, overpressure (and by whom) and numbers of repetitions or time and sets. Therapist or patient application of overpressure and utilization of treatment belts or manual techniques must be recorded to capture the complete description. The adoption of the Mulligan Concept annotation framework in this way for documentation purposes will provide uniformity and clarity of information transfer for the future purposes of teaching, clinical practice and audit for its practitioners.

Keywords: Annotation; Clinical records; Manual therapy; Mulligan Concept.