Fig. 1

Forces delivered by treatments to forearm. a A flexible 5 mm diameter pressure sensitive resistor was taped to the tip of the treating index finger (as applied with inset showing detail). Each treatment component was performed, and forces recorded in Newtons (N). Arrow points to the placement of the flexible resistor in use. Caveats of this method include variable contact area and angle of application of the finger to the resistor and of the resistor to the rat while performing treatments. b, c, and d depict skin rolling, muscle mobilization, and upper extremity traction (stretch and glide), respectively. e and f show forces used in two components of the treatment used previously [13]. These latter two treatments were not included in the current protocol as an effort to test what we thought were “light” or “superficial” treatments, compared to “deep” treatments. However, as can be seen in these recordings, the “stretch and glide” treatment uses forces that are perpendicular to the forearm and in the general range of the “deep strokes” treatment. g Radiographs of the method used to measure forces when delivered during the “deep strokes” treatment, taken at light contact and during 100 cN force (see arrow in h). Bones shown are the radius and ulnar of the forearm. h Change of thickness during different forces applied to the forelimb