The role of CranioSacral Therapy and Visceral Manipulation in Concussion Recovery

A recent study¹ investigated the effects of CranioSacral Therapy (CST), Visceral Manipulation (VM) and Neural Manipulation (NM) as treatment interventions for post-concussion syndrome.

The preliminary study, a single-blinded case series, recruited 11 male retired professional football players from the National Football League and the Canadian Football League who had been medically diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome. Participants received CST/VM/NM techniques twice per day, for 5 days.

Outcome measures

• Impact Neurocognitive Test
• Dynavisiontm Test
• Short Form–36 Quality of Life Survey
• Headache Impact Test
• Dizziness Handicap Inventory
• Numeric pain rating scale
• Orthopedic range of motion tests (ROM)
• Vestibular testing
• Hours of sleep

These outcome measures were registered at baseline, after treatment, and after a 3-month follow up. The results showed a reduction in overall pain rating scores and cervicogenic pain levels.  There was also a reported increase in Dynavision Average Reaction Time, Memory Test, cervical ROM scores and hours of sleep.

Full text can be found at NCBI

1. Wetzler G, Roland M, Fryer-Dietz S, Dettmann-Ahern D. Craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation: a new treatment intervention for concussion recovery. Med Acupunct. 2017;29(4):239-248.

Related Courses:

• Neuromeningeal Manipulation: An Integrative Approach to Trauma (NM1)

• CranioSacral Therapy 1 - CS1

• Visceral Manipulation Abdomen 1 - VM1

About the lead author, Gail Wetzler  PT, DPT, EDO, BI-D

After receiving her initial degree in physical therapy, she pursued her first experience in acute orthopedic care at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach California. Within 1 year, she became the outpatient clinical supervisor and thus began her journey and desire for continuing education in the science and art of human movement and function.

She studied with renowned therapists including Maitland and McKenzie in the earlier years of manual therapy education. In a few years, she developed her own private practice, at which time she received a large number of head, neck and TMJ pain patients. This became a driver to learn more about cranial osteopathy, craniosacral therapy and how the fields of physical therapy and dentistry could collaborate to help these patients. As she pursued continuing education classes with Dr. John Upledger, he inspired her to learn more about the different systems in the body and how they all integrated for function.

Gail has been an instructor for the Barral Institute (BI) since 1991 and became the BI Curriculum Director in 2001. She is the Past Director of Physical Therapy for the Integrative Medicine Center at UCI. She is currently part of the Research Team for the Upledger Foundation for their recent studies on Post Concussion Recovery.  Gail has also served as Education Chairperson for the American Physical Therapy Association.

Reproduced in part with kind permission from Barral Institue Australia