Rik Kranenburg PhD: Busting myths: Dangers and treatments of the neck. A webinar for ALL physiotherapists

Rik Kranenburg PhD: Busting myths: Dangers and treatments of the neck. A webinar for ALL physiotherapists

Join Dr Rik Kranenburg, senior lecturer and researcher at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, for an evidence-based deep dive into the myths surrounding cervical spine treatment. With a PhD focused on the risks and safety of manual techniques, Dr Kranenburg brings a balanced perspective—combining the latest research, clinical reasoning, and years of hands-on experience in treating neck pain and headaches.

This accredited webinar explores the effectiveness, limitations, and potential risks of cervical manual therapy.

You’ll learn how to distinguish evidence from assumption and how to make informed, patient-centred decisions when working with cervical complaints.

What You’ll Learn

1. Evidence Behind Cervical Spine Treatment

Understand what current research truly shows about the effectiveness of cervical manual therapy, manipulations, and mobilizations—and how to integrate it responsibly into clinical practice.

2. Recognizing Risks and Adverse Events

Identify early warning signs and risk factors for vascular pathologies such as dissections, and learn why a thorough anamnesis often matters more than unreliable ligament or vascular tests.

3. Practical Application and Clinical Decision-Making

Apply the latest iFOMPT framework for safe cervical practice, recognize red flags, and use clinical reasoning to balance patient expectations, research, and therapist expertise.

4. Myths Demystified

Why mobilizations are not automatically safer than manipulations, why we cannot “realign” vertebrae, and how manual therapy remains an effective—but nuanced—part of neck-pain management.

Learning Goals

1. Critical Appraisal of Evidence and Risk Frameworks

The participant can critically analyse and integrate contemporary scientific evidence, including the iFOMPT framework and vascular safety literature, to evaluate the validity and limitations of current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for the cervical spine.

2. Clinical Reasoning in Complex and Uncertain Contexts

The participant demonstrates advanced clinical reasoning by formulating safe, evidence-informed decisions for patients with cervical complaints, particularly when diagnostic ambiguity, comorbidities, or potential vascular involvement are present.

3. Evaluation and Adaptation of Manual Techniques

The participant can independently evaluate the biomechanical and neurophysiological rationale behind cervical manual therapy techniques and adapt their choice of intervention (mobilisation, manipulation, exercise) based on individual risk profiles and patient-specific factors.

4. Integration of Research, Expertise, and Patient Values

The participant can synthesise research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences into a coherent, patient-centred management plan, demonstrating professional autonomy and ethical responsibility in balancing benefit and risk.

5. Reflective and Preventive Professional Practice

The participant systematically reflects on their own clinical decision-making, identifies potential biases or safety risks in practice, and implements preventive strategies—such as refined anamnesis, red-flag recognition, and interprofessional communication—to minimise adverse events.