Dr. Whyte Ferguson spent years of her career developing

protocols to successfully treat a number of difficult musculo-

skeletal conditions. Understanding myofascial pain changes

how we treat virtually any musculoskeletal condition. Some

of the special protocols, that can be found in her book, are:

 

 

 

 

1.  Hip and groin pain: Many patients have hip and groin pain and yet are not candidates for hip replacement.  Some have spent a decade or more seeking relief, only to meet with frustration. Dr. Whyte Ferguson has developed a technique to seat the femur deeper in the hip joint and release the taut bands and trigger points that contribute to pulling the femur into a pain inducing superficial position in the hip.  By restoring more normal joint mechanics and releasing trigger points, pain is usually relieved. For more information refer to Dr. Whyte Ferguson's book: Clinical Mastery in the Treatment of Myofascial Pain edited by Lucy Whyte Ferguson and Robert Gerwin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Frozen Shoulder:  Traditional approaches to treating frozen shoulder have focused on stretching the tightened joint capsule at the end of the range of motion, such as by using pulleys to press the humerus into greater flexion.  This is often a very painful process.  Dr. Whyte Ferguson has developed an approach that releases the anterior and posterior portions of the joint capsule with the humerus in a relaxed position.  When the scapula is released toward the spine, there is more room for the humerus to flex and elevate without working in a pain range.  Usually this approach to restoring movement achieves the goal of improved mobility with fewer treatments over a shorter period of time than traditional treatments. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Scoliosis:  Dr. Whyte Ferguson has been working with adults with scoliosis and pain, adolescents and young adults who have pain following spine straightening surgery, and adolescents and pre-adolescents who are developing scoliosis.  Even though the muscles on each side of the spine look different, it appears that much of the mechanical stress on the spine and the spinal area pain that some patients experience arises from trigger points and unbalanced tension in other muscles and associated fascia.  The muscles that appear most important in pulling the spine into increasing curvature and that appear to refer pain into the spine include muscles at an angle to the spine such as the quadratus lumborum, latissimus dorsi, and iliopsoas muscles.  We can think of the relationship of unbalanced muscles and fascia to spinal stability as akin to the difficulty of raising a tent straight if the ropes are tighter on one side than the other.  Relieving the unbalanced muscle and fascial tension and releasing trigger points in these muscles seems to reduce pain and restore more spinal stability.  Chiropractic care is also used to balance the pelvis and release spinal and rib restrictions so that the curve progression may be decreased.

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