GLS In Practice
GLS Inspired Exercise to Treat Groin Pain
I must confess that I am quite the Great Lakes Seminars groupie. I’ve taken more of their courses than I could name off hand, some multiple times. One of my favorite things that they teach are muscle energy techniques (METs). Originally used by osteopathic doctors, but now mostly abandoned by them for more technical pursuits, the MET uses our muscles to get a stuck joint moving again. It’s quite an incredible tool of anatomical science magictry. And I’ve found it can provide immediate pain relief for many of my patients.
Most METs are taught to us as something we do to the patient. But I am a huge believer, whenever possible, of having the patient do the technique on themselves so they can learn to manage their symptoms and have the tools to handle flare-ups at home. This is especially true for our patients who don’t hold the correction between visits and need frequent “tune-ups.”
In one of the Great Lakes Seminars classes I attended, we learned a MET to correct an elevated pubic rami (a joint that is often overlooked in my opinion). When a patient comes in with groin pain, I find the pubic rami is often the culprit. I created this home exercise based on an MET I learned at Great Lakes. Even if you do not feel comfortable or yet know how to check the pubic rami, it’s a simple exercise you can add to your program if the patient complains of groin pain.
METs are such a good tool in our toolbox, but in my observation, not enough physical therapists have been educated on how to use them. I’m very grateful to Great Lakes Seminars for teaching them. And I’ve tried to teach my patients and other practitioners how to use them to improve their outcomes.
About the Author
Susanna Lin
Dr. Susanna Lin has over two decades of experience as a physical therapist. She has been listed in the Seattle Met Magazine list of Top Doctors and is the creator of the YouTube channel @PTwithDoctorSusie which provides physical therapy education to patients and practitioners.
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