A Systematic Review of Musculoskeletal Mobilization and Manipulation Techniques Used in Veterinary Medicine.
Authors: Haussler Kevin K, Hesbach Amie L, Romano Laura, Goff Lesley, Bergh Anna
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Despite widespread use of mobilization and manipulation techniques in equine practice, robust evidence supporting their clinical application remains sparse. Haussler and colleagues conducted a comprehensive systematic review of peer-reviewed literature from 1980 to 2020, screening 883 papers and ultimately including 14 studies (13 equine, one canine) that evaluated clinical outcomes following these treatments; the equine research focused predominantly on passive mobilization (five studies) or manipulation (eight studies) of the axial skeleton. Whilst all included studies reported positive therapeutic effects, quality was highly variable (four low-quality, seven moderate, three high-quality), with heterogeneous outcome measures and inconsistent reporting of treatment duration and dosage preventing meta-analysis and robust comparison between techniques. The findings highlight a critical gap: although mobilization and manipulation show promise in clinical practice, the profession currently lacks standardized protocols regarding optimal indications, treatment parameters, and dosing intervals needed to deliver consistent, evidence-based care. Until researchers establish these fundamentals through rigorously designed trials with standardized methodologies, equine professionals must remain cautious about prescribing these interventions with confidence, recognizing that current evidence, though encouraging, falls short of definitively establishing when and how these techniques should be integrated into treatment plans.
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Practical Takeaways
- •While mobilization and manipulation show promise in equine practice, current evidence is insufficient to define clear protocols for when, how, and how often to apply these techniques
- •Consider these approaches as adjunctive therapies rather than standalone treatments until better dosing and indication criteria are established through higher-quality research
- •Document your own clinical outcomes carefully, as the field needs standardized data collection to move beyond anecdotal evidence of efficacy
Key Findings
- •Of 883 papers identified, only 14 met inclusion criteria (13 equine, 1 canine), indicating sparse high-quality evidence for mobilization and manipulation in veterinary medicine
- •All included studies reported positive effects, but study quality was low (n=4), moderate (n=7), or high (n=3) with highly heterogeneous outcome parameters preventing meta-analysis
- •Equine studies focused predominantly on passive mobilization (n=5) or manipulation (n=8) of the axial skeleton with varying efficacy durations
- •Lack of standardized dosing protocols and clinical indications across studies limits ability to draw firm conclusions about optimal technique application