Hatcher-Murphy Disorder

Hatcher-Murphy Disorder- often referred to as HMD- is a manifestation of dysfunction of the tissues involving the brainstem and the spinal accessory nerve. HMD was discovered by Doctor Francis X Murphy, DC and refutes the current medical paradigm of the aetiology of adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder, or Frozen Shoulder Syndrome, and other neurological disorders. Hatcher Murphy Disorder is based on years of research and patient outcome studies and encompasses the fields of neurology, chiropractic, and biochemistry, and has been indicated as the specific root neurological cause of adhesive capsulitis and other neurological disorders. The current treatment protocol for patients diagnosed with Hatcher-Murphy Disorder involves a novel chiropractic adjustment to treat the neurological aspect of the disorder and subsequent neuromuscular rehabilitation to treat the orthopaedic aspect.
History of the Discovery of Hatcher-Murphy Disorder
In July of 2007, the first engagement in a clinical study determining a link between HMD and adhesive capsulitis was announced. Research and patient outcome studies have indicated that Frozen Shoulder Syndrome is indeed a neurological condition rather than an orthopedic condition .
The term Hatcher-Murphy Disorder originates from the combination of the name of the discoverer, Dr. Francis Murphy, DC, and the first patient to be treated, Pam Hatcher. The term disorder is used because of the nature of the physical malfunction of tissues, which influences consequential conditions, such as adhesive capsulitis.

Causal Generation of FSS
Original Aetiology of Frozen Shoulder Syndrome
The medical community’s contemporary analysis of adhesive Capsulitisis that it is an orthopaedic syndrome and contains no association with a neurological cause. Adhesive Capsulitis is termed a syndrome, as in Frozen Shoulder Syndrome, because it includes an involvement of several clinically recognizable features, in particular the essential signs and symptoms of a typical frozen shoulder syndrome patient. In Frozen Shoulder Syndrome, these features have not been attributed a linking aetiology and were considered only associative. A confirmed causation of Frozen Shoulder Syndrome has been inexistent. Because of this lack of an aetiology, the current treatment methods of frozen shoulder have been incomprehensive and focus on the orthopaedic dysfunction of the shoulder joint, rather than treating any root cause. These treatments include;
*Rehabilitation stretches, exercises, and massage specific to the shoulder joint
*Steroid injections into the shoulder joint
*Rupturing of the joint capsule
*Manipulation of shoulder joint under anesthesia
*Arthroscopic Release
*Chiropractic Adjustment specific only to the shoulder dysfunction
Positive Correlation Findings of HMD in FSS patients
Clinical studies displayed a very strong correlation between patients clinically diagnosed with Frozen Shoulder Syndrome and diagnosed with Hatcher-Murphy Disorder. In a study, all patients with the signs of clinical adhesive Capsulitis and a diagnosis provided by an orthopaedist had a concurrent case of HMD . Patients can have varying levels of HMD, because the severity of the disorder behaves in accordance with the level of dysfunction of biomechanic processes of certain tissues. Although a positive finding of HMD may not necessarily indicate a positive finding of adhesive capsulitis, a positive finding of HMD involves a correlation of potential development of adhesive capsulitis as well as a correlation of a positive finding of other neurological disorders.
Shoulder Dysfunction subsequent of HMD
The shoulder joint is a complex structure. The shoulder employs the use of many other joints and muscles in order to conduct normal, full range of motion. In a functional shoulder joint, the humerus can move freely in abduction to 180 degrees. Sufferers of adhesive Capsulitis have a severe loss of abduction ability usually accompanied by considerable pain.
Frozen Shoulder Syndrome
In a shoulder joint, the first 120 degrees of abduction occurs freely without obstruction. When at 120 degrees, the humerus runs directly into the acromion process of the scapula and into soft tissues, which lie just inferior to the acromion process. Upon normal abduction of the upper arm at 120 degrees, the serratus anterior and trapezius muscle engage the scapula and rotate it upwards. This action allows the humerus to abduct the remaining 60 degrees so that the full 180 degrees of abduction can be expressed. The problem in adhesive capsulitis occurs in muscle paresis and consequent malfunction of the trapezius muscle. The muscle paresis and malfunction of the trapezius muscle, which causes frozen shoulder syndrome, is caused because of neurological dysfunction from the prescence of Hatcher-Murphy Disorder.

Neurological Aspect of HMD
To fully understand the malfunction of the trapezius muscle in adhesive capsulitis, one must consider the skull and cervical spine. The trapezius muscle receives its vital information from the spinal accessory nerve, or cranial nerve XI, which emanates in the brain stem and upper cervical spine.
The scenario of events that triggers adhesive capsulitis begins with the skull becoming locked in a single position and becoming guided by a series of biomechanical movements. These movements are head extension (looking upward), lateral flexion(ear to shoulder), and rotation to the opposite side of the lateral flexion. This blend of movements locks the head in an upward gaze. When the patient's posture becomes fixated in this strange position, the righting mechanism of the nervous system will drive the lower cervical spine into forward flexion, which provides provisional correction to allow the head to be able to face forward and the eyes to find the horizon line. This position also gives the subject a noticeably head-forward posture.
The combination of the head being locked in extension and the lower cervical spine forced into flexion creates a tethering of the brain stem and upper cervical spine. If the tethering force is great enough, any nerve aligned in the tethered area will undergo a state of , or motor paralysis. Due to ischemia, or reduced blood flow, and inflammation, the affected nerve cannot function normally.
When the nerve involvement includes the spinal accessory nerve, impaired function of the trapezius muscle occurs, and consequently the shoulder movement is affected. This malfunction of the shoulder is the causation of the signs and symptoms grouped as the indication of adhesive capsulitis.
When this biomechanical relationship of the skull and spine is corrected and normal tension and blood flow are restored to the brain stem, the nervous system can return to normal. The frozen shoulder syndrome is broken and the process of rehabilitation can begin.
Diagnosis of Hatcher Murphy Disorder
Diagnosis of and the evaluation for positive presence of Hatcher-Murphy Disorder requires a cranial nerve examination and a chiropractic examination
Cranial Nerve Examination
Treatment of Hatcher-Murphy Disorder should not commence until a complete evaluation of the function of the patient’s cranial nerves and nervous system has been performed by a medical professional. A cranial nerve exam can be conducted using non-technical equipment to provide insight into the current function of the nervous system. Results of a cranial nerve examination verifying dysfunction can be a sign of a neurological condition. Testing of the full function of the brain stem and cranial nerves is vital in the neurological treatment methods, which establish function of the nervous system and of the cranial nerves. Examples of cranial nerve testing relative to the diagnosis of HMD include testing the function of the patients:
*Eyesight and motion of the eye
*Taste and smell
*Hearing and vestibular apparatus
*Mastication
*Gag reflex

Chiropractic Examination
A chiropractic and osteopathic assessment, including palpation and radiology, is necessary in completing diagnosis of Hatcher-Murphy Disorder. A doctor of chiropractic or medical doctor must locate findings of dysfunction in the biomechanical relationship between the skull and spine, including the soft tissues and joints of the vertebro-motor units.
Classification of HMD
Clinical studies have categorized patients diagnosed with Hatcher-Murphy Disorder. A thorough cranial nerve examination, exploring which parts of the nervous system are depleted, and a chiropractic assessment will determine the speediness of patient recovery. The two levels are Type 1 and Type 2. Frozen Shoulder Syndrome sufferers are in such pain that most assume that they are Type 2. However, The study revealed the opposite: the vast majority of those studied suffered from the more manageable Type 1 Frozen Shoulder Syndrome.
*Type 1
:In Type 1, the biomechanical disorder has existed for a relative short period of time. The nervous system has not been deprived long enough to wither and cause other problems.
The Study states “Both male and female patients are immediately able to raise their affected arms above their heads following the adjustment. Some small compensatory muscular changes require treatment over three to four follow-up visits, and pain is reduced by more than 75% with the first 24 hours.”
*Type 2
In Type 2, the biomechanical disorder existed longer, relative to Type 1 patients. Furthermore, the ischemia affecting the nervous system has existed for a prolonged period of time, and the patient has a withering of the nervous system that requires more therapy aimed specifically at the components of the nervous system directly affected by the disorder.
The study states “Both male and female patients are able to raise their arms significantly higher, with 60% to 80% increased abduction of the shoulder being observed, immediately following the Adjustment. Type 2 patients however should expect to have two to three times the follow-up treatment to achieve full recovery. For Type 2 patients, some pain has remained along with a significant chance for backsliding. These patients should expect steady improvement with each follow-up visit. Follow-up visits for Type 2 sufferers have totaled approximately 10 over period of four to five weeks.”
Treatment for Hatcher Murphy Disorder
When this biomechanical relationship of the skull and spine is corrected and normal tension and blood flow are restored to the brain stem, the nervous system can return to normal. The frozen shoulder syndrome is broken and the process of rehabilitation can begin.
In order to treat Hatcher-Murphy Disorder and effectively treat adhesive capsulitis, the dysfunctional biomechanical relationship of the skull and spine must be corrected with a chiropractic adjustment. The normal tension and blood flow of a healthy brain stem must be restored. Only until the neurological aspects are healed can the orthopaedic rehabilitation begin..
Nutrition
Proper nutrition is a critical component in the healing process of HMD, because HMD involves inflammation. Junk food, high-fat meats, processed foods, and sugar can increase inflammation. Also, a diet with too high of levels of arachidonic acid can worsen inflammation.
HMD patient videos
Patient outcome videos are available online and include women, men, diabetics, post-surgical, traumatic, and patients whose symptoms have no suspected or known origin. Each participant in the Frozen Shoulder Syndrome study was required to have been diagnosed with Frozen Shoulder Syndrome by a currently licensed medical doctor. The study was designed to identify the cause of Frozen Shoulder Syndrome and determine whether the condition could be resolved using a specific chiropractic adjustment.

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