Manual Therapy

What is Manual Therapy

Manual Therapy is a special form of physical therapy delivered with hands as opposed to a device or machine. It is a method by which physiotherapists can assess and treat their patients with skilled hand movements. The basic aim is to improve tissue extensibility, increase range of motion, induce relaxation, mobilize or manipulate soft tissue and joints, modulate pain, change muscle function, improve movement patterns, and reduce soft tissue swelling, inflammation or restriction.

Techniques Under Manual Therapy

Manual Therapy is actually a large umbrella under which many specific hands-on techniques reside and some of them are:

SOFT TISSUE TECHNIQUES:

• Soft Tissue Mobilization
• Massage
• Functional Mobilization
• Scar Mobilization
• Myofascial Release
• Strain Counterstrain
• Active Release Technique
• Manual Lymph Drainage

JOINT TECHNIQUES:

• Joint Mobilization
• Joint Manipulation/Thrust
• Muscle Energy Techniques
• Traction

Conditions Treated

There are various types of injuries or problems that can be treated with manual therapy. Some of them are:

1. Neck Pain: Disc Pathology, Muscle spasm, Post-Surgical neck pain, Rib hypomobility.
2. Lower Back Pain: Disc Pathology, Post-Surgical Back Pain, Spinal Stenosis.
3. Thoracic Spine or Mid-Back Spine
4. Headaches / Migraines
5. Hip Pain: Hip impingement, Myofascial hip pain, Hip Bursitis, Post-Surgical Hip replacements.
6. Knee Pain: Total Knee Replacements, IT band Tendonitis.
7. Ankle Pain: Ankle Sprains, Chronic Ankle pain, Ankle Arthritis, Post-Surgical Ankle Pain 
8. Shoulder Pain: Frozen Shoulder, Impingement Syndrome, Post-Surgical Shoulder
9. Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
10. Fibromyalgia