Effect of manual manipulation on mechanical gait parameters.

Context: A variety of manual manipulation techniques are utilized in clinical practice to alleviate pain and improve musculoskeletal function. Many manual practitioners analyze gait patterns and asymmetries in their assessment of the patient, and an increasing number of gait motion capture studies are taking place with recent improvements in motion capture technology. This study is the first systematic review of whether these manual modalities have been shown to produce an objectively measurable change in gait mechanics.