Developed as a result of poor postural habit, spondylosis, trauma or derangement, the dysfunction syndrome is the condition in which adaptive shortening and resultant loss of mobility causes pain before achievement of full normal end range movement. Essentially, the condition arises because movement is performed inadequately at a time when shortening of soft tissues is taking place. The dysfunction is named by the motion which is lost or restricted. For example, a flexion dysfunction would limit the ability of an individual to bend forward in that area of the spine.
Pain appears during test movements at end range and abolishes as soon as the patient's soft tissues are off stretch. The changes in the patient's symptoms are not sustained and his condition is neither better nor worse following test movements.