Balanced ligamentous tension (BLT) (also referred to as ligamentous articular strain depending on geographic location), relies on the principle that the ligaments of the body provide proprioceptive feedback when tension is appropriately balanced along with the respective ligaments in a joint. According to the Sutherland model, an unequal distribution in the tension among ligaments can cause imbalances in the joint that result in a new pathological “normal”. By altering the strain on certain ligaments, the “spring” of a ligament can be returned to back to the normal physiologic range, and proper proprioceptive feedback in the joint can be re-established.

Different institutions across the country vary in their description of BLT techniques (with some distinctly separating direct and indirect methods), for example, some schools of thought describe the technique as having three primary steps which include: disengagement at the joint in question, exaggeration of the joint by carrying it into the position of its original injury, and finally balance, which involves feeling for release in the form of a “wobble point” indicating that the ligaments involved in the dysfunction have been rebalanced. When applying this concept to the pelvis, the joints of primary focus include the lumbosacral and sacroiliac.