Passive accessory intervertebral movements (PAIVM) refers to a spinal physical therapy assessment and treatment technique developed by Geoff Maitland.
The purpose of PAIVM is to assess the amount and quality of movement at various intervertebral levels, and to treat pain and stiffness of the cervical and lumbar spine.
[1][2] The technique is contraindicated by bone disease, malignancy, pregnancy, vertebral artery insufficiency, active ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal instability, acute irritation or compression of the nerve root, and recent whiplash.
[1] A 2005 study by Abbott et al. suggested that as an assessment technique, PAIVMs are highly specific, but not sensitive, in the detection of lumbar segmental instability.
[3] A 1993 study by Watson and Trott suggested that PAIVM examinations are reliable when identifying symptomatic vertebral joints when assessing for cervicogenic headache.