Manual Therapy

One common cause of pain is the misalignment of key body structures which aid in movement. Sometimes traditional physical therapy such as ice, heat or electrical stimulation may not be sufficient to repair the damage.

When such alternatives do not work, manual therapy can be a more effective method of reducing or eradicating pain. It takes a hands-on approach to retraining the muscles and regaining motion that is otherwise not possible to do by yourself.

What is manual therapy?

Manual therapy is a highly specialized area of therapy for treating musculoskeletal conditions brought about by injury, ailments or age. During treatment therapists use their hands to put pressure on muscle tissue and manipulate joints in an attempt to decrease pain caused, for instance, by muscle spasm, muscle tension or joint dysfunction.

Medical research has shown that patients improve and get better much faster when manual therapy techniques are incorporated into their treatment plans. Apart from reducing pain and increasing ROM (range of motion), this form of physical therapy aims at reducing soft tissue inflammation, inducing relaxation, stability and extensibility and improving tissue repair.

As mentioned above, manual therapy is delivered using the hands instead of a device or machine, although these may still be used to complement the therapy. The therapist may perform soft tissue work such as medical massage, myofascial release, strain, counter-strain and position release to relax the muscles, break up scar tissue and improve blood circulation.

Another technique used in manual therapy is neuro mobilization. With the help of a special neural dynamic test, the therapist first isolates the nerve that is the source of the pain. Neuro mobilization is all about gently moving the nerves to increase blood supply, relieve pain and restore functional movement. Using measured movements, the bones are pulled, twisted or pushed into the right position. This makes a big difference in regaining motion and reducing pain.

The other technique performed here at our clinic is muscle energy technique (MET), where the patient’s own muscular efforts are used to create a gentle contraction whilst the therapist is at hand to provide gentle resistance or counter force. The therapist is at hand to provide gentle resistance. The aim of this technique is to strengthen weak muscles, deactivate trigger points and increase mobility in restricted joints. It is often used together with soft tissue manipulation, massage therapy and rehabilitation. It makes the other treatment techniques more effective.

We offer advanced manual therapy for best results. Contact us today to book your consultation with a manual therapist at our clinic.