The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy
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Manual and physical therapists incorporate neurodynamic mobilisation (NDM) to improve function and decrease pain. Little is known about the mechanisms by which these interventions affect neural tissue. The objective of this research was to assess the effects of repetitive straight leg raise (SLR) NDM on the fluid dynamics within the fourth lumbar nerve root in unembalmed cadavers. ⋯ Passive NDM in the form of repetitive SLR induced a significant increase in longitudinal fluid dispersion in the L4 nerve root of human cadaveric specimen. Lower limb NDM may be beneficial in promoting nerve function by limiting or altering intraneural fluid accumulation within the nerve root, thus preventing the adverse effects of intraneural oedema.