Movement System Impairment Syndromes (Sahrmann)
Movement System Impairment Syndromes are the focus of an approach to physical therapy that was developed by Dr. Shirley A Sahrmann, PhD, PT and her associates at the Program in Physical Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri. The analysis and treatment of movement systems impairments are founded in principles of kinesiology, biomechanics, muscle physiology, and physiologic adaption-to-use history.
Physical therapists trained in this approach will undertake a full evaluation of the status of the musculoskeletal system to identify muscle couple imbalances that can be associated with complaints of pain, and to seek the sources of those imbalances in the context of routine postural and movement strategies. The treatment goal is usually the elimination of pain via the use of targeted therapeutic exercise to restore muscle couple balance and related functioning joint alignments.
A full presentation of this approach is detailed in the text: Sahrmann SA. 2002. Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes. St. Louis, MO: Mosby.