Manual therapy ‘mobilisation’ techniques of the shoulder girdle

3. Assessment of pain and resistance to determine grade of mobilisation

  • Mobilisations can be graded depending on the assessment findings
  • On the first performance of the technique the therapist feels for resistance and when this occurs in relation to pain.
  • If pain is reported before the onset of resistance or if resistance is felt before the onset of the pain symptom.

Grades of mobilisation

 Grade Description
I Small amplitude movement in the resistance free range
II Large amplitude movement in the resistance free range
III Large amplitude movement in the resistance range
IV Small amplitude movement in the resistance range

Maitland Joint Mobilisation Grading Scale

  • Content authors: Clare Holmes and Catherine Moore
  • Developer: Aaron Fecowycz
  • Contact: helm@nottingham.ac.uk

Page last updated: 7th November 2018

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