Manual therapy is a "hands on" form of physiotherapy treatment that is a great option for individuals with musculoskeletal injuries or pain. Manual therapists manipulate joints and apply pressure to muscles to release tight tissues and help with pain and recovery.
Manual Therapy is intended to treat soft tissue, joint inflammation, pain, increase range of motion, facilitate movement and improve function. Manual therapists use their hands to feel different tissue consistencies.
Types of Manual Therapy
Soft tissue mobilization
The practitioner applies different directions of pressure to release tension with in fascia- tissue that encloses muscles and organs. This helps to improve range of motion and decrease pain.
Joint mobilization
The practitioner uses movements of varying speed, forcefulness and distance to correct the positioning of joints.
Myofascial release
The practitioner uses light, manual pressure to massage and stretch a trigger point in your fascia. They may hold that point for a few minutes, then repeat the process for other trigger points they may find until they feel a full release.
Benefits of Manual Therapy
Overuse injuries and stress fractures
Muscle tears, tendon and ligament sprains
Knee, ankle and foot injuries
Shoulder injuries, tennis elbow, hand and wrist pain