[Physio Discussed] Should spinal manipulation be used in paediatrics? With Anita Gross, Nikki Milne and Jenifer Dice

In this episode, we discuss Physiotherapy within the Paediatric population. We explore: 

• Cervical manual therapy in infants, children and adolescents: yes or no?
• Evidence based treatment for paediatric conditions e.g. colic, torticollis
• Appropriate manual therapy technique selection for paediatrics 
• Shared decision making within the paediatric realm
• The collaboration of the Paediatric Spinal Task Force

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Anita Gross is an Associate Clinical Professor at McMaster University, where she has directed their advanced orthopedic musculoskeletal program, and is also a respected educator with the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and Western University. With a sustained research trajectory, she has made substantial contributions to clinical research in neck and back pain, leading the Cervical Overview Group, a global research collaboration responsible for producing and maintaining Cochrane and other high-quality systematic reviews related to neck pain. 

Jenifer Dice brings over 25 years of clinical experience delivering pediatric physical therapy across a range of settings, serving patients from birth through adolescence. Currently based near Houston, Texas, Jen balances a full-time Assistant Professor role in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Texas Woman’s University with continued outpatient pediatric practice. Her academic and clinical interests focus on integrating manual therapy approaches into pediatric physical therapy, and her research reflects a commitment to connecting hands-on care with evidence-based inquiry. 

Associate Professor Nikki Milne is an experienced paediatric physiotherapist, researcher, and educator with over two decades of expertise in child health, fitness, and health professional education. She is the Paediatric Lead for research and coursework in the Physiotherapy Department at Bond University (Gold Coast, Australia) and is also the Assistant Dean of Research for the Faculty of Health Sciences at Medicine at Bond University.  Her research focuses on paediatric motor development, safe and effective paediatric physiotherapy, physiotherapy education, injury prevention in sport, and student-led school health programs. 

You can find further information on the policies discussed in this podcast here: 
Position Statement - Open Access Article; Gross, A. R., Olson, K. A., Pool, J., Basson, A., Clewley, D., Dice, J. L., & Milne, N. (2024). Spinal manipulation and mobilisation in paediatrics – an international evidence-based position statement for physiotherapists. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 32(3), 211–233.

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