Diagnosis and treatment of movement system impairment syndromes.

This is a narrative review, not an original study, so it does not test a new treatment in patients. The authors have continuing education and royalty interests in movement system impairment content. Validity and reliability were examined mainly for the lumbar spine and knee, not for all proposed syndromes. The treatment evidence includes case reports, which describe individual patients and cannot show that a treatment works. The randomized trial in chronic low back pain found no difference between classification-specific and non-classification-specific treatment. Both treatment groups included exercise and daily activity correction, so the study cannot separate the effect of any single component.

Daniel Azevedo works as an instructor in continuing education courses that include movement system impairment content. Shirley Sahrmann teaches continuing education courses on movement system impairment, has published books, and receives royalties from Elsevier Publishing Company for Diagnosis and Treatment of Impairment Syndromes. She does not receive royalties from Movement System Impairment syndromes of the Cervical and Thoracic Spine and the Extremities. Linda Van Dillen declared no conflicts.

Do not conclude that movement system impairment treatment is proven superior. This is a narrative review, and the randomized trial it cites in chronic low back pain found no difference between classification-specific treatment and non-classification-specific treatment.