Podcast #43 Do Manual Therapeutic Interventions influence central pain mechanisms in people with neck pain?

In this episode, recorded live at the Pain Science in Motion Congress in Brussels, we sit down with manual therapist and researcher Roland Reezigt MSc. This special episode was produced in close collaboration with the Pain in Motion.

Roland dives into the neurobiological mechanisms behind manual therapy, exploring whether hands-on techniques can actually influence how the central nervous system processes pain in individuals suffering from neck pain.

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🎙️ Featured Guest: Roland Reezigt MSc.Manual therapist, lecturer, and researcher affiliated with Hanzehogeschool Groningen and VU Amsterdam.An emerging voice in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, dedicated to bridging the gap between clinical manual therapy and advanced pain science.

• The Central Question: Roland discusses his research into whether manual therapeutic techniques can directly modulate central pain processing mechanisms in people with neck pain.

• Beyond the Joint: Shifting the perspective from purely mechanical explanations of manual therapy toward a neurophysiological and central nervous system-focused approach.

• Live from PSiM: Key insights and discussions generated during the Pain Science in Motion Congress in Brussels, highlighting the future of pain research.

• Clinical Relevance: How clinicians can integrate these insights into daily practice to better understand and treat patients with persistent neck complaints.

References

Yarnitsky D. Conditioned pain modulation (the diffuse noxious inhibitory control-like effect): its relevance for acute and chronic pain states. Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology. 2010;23(5):611-615. doi:10.1097/ACO.0b013e32833c348b

Hermans L, Calders P, Oosterwijck JV, Verschelde E, Bertel E, Meeus M. An overview of offset analgesia and the comparison with conditioned pain modulation: A systematic literature review. Pain physician. 2016;19(6):307-326. doi:10.36076/ppj/2016.19.307

Ramaswamy S, Wodehouse T. Conditioned pain modulation—A comprehensive review. Neurophysiologie Clinique. Published online December 2020. doi:10.1016/j.neucli.2020.11.002

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