AO Glides

Purpose: To provide non-specific P-A glide of the A/O joint.  Typically used with grades I-III during examination. 

Start:  The patient starts in supine.  The therapist sits at patient’s head with their hands at the base of patient’s occiput. 

Procedure: While keeping the patient’s face parallel to the treatment table, the PT lifts the patients head off the table.  The therapist can note the movement of the A/O joint. 

Comments: To facilitate increased motion of the left AO joint, glide the head in a diagonal path to the right, and to increase motion of the right AO joint, glide the head in a diagonal path to the left.