A Clinical Analysis of Manual therapy for Lumbar Disc Herniation Guided by the Yin-Yang Balance Theory

Abstract

Lumbar disc herniation is a common orthopedic disorder in clinical practice, with most patients achieving favorable clinical outcomes through conservative treatment. Chief Physician Chen Bing and his team have developed an effective therapeutic technique for lumbar disc herniation based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory of yin-yang balance and spinal biomechanics. Dr. Chen posits that the fundamental pathogenesis of lumbar disc herniation lies in the imbalance of musculoskeletal strength on both sides of the spine. According to yin-yang balance theory, equilibrium of spinal forces on both sides is essential for maintaining normal lumbar spine posture, which is referred to as “yin equilibrium and yang stability.” The team identifies the side with muscle tension as the yin side and the side with muscle contracture as the yang side during lumbar disc herniation onset. Guided by this principle, they employ manual manipulation of the medial thigh muscle group to regulate spinal muscle strength balance, thereby achieving therapeutic goals for lumbar disc herniation. This technique effectively balances bilateral muscular forces, harmonizes yin-yang dynamics, and significantly alleviates patients’ lower back and leg pain symptoms, providing a novel approach for clinical management of lumbar disc herniation.