Hands-On Manual Therapy
What Is Manual Therapy?
Manual therapy is a hands-on approach in which a physiotherapist uses skilled techniques to improve how your joints and soft tissues, such as muscles and fascia, move. These techniques are applied carefully to these tissues to achieve one or more of these goals:
- Pain relief
- Relaxation
- Less swelling and inflammation
- More joint mobility
- Better muscle flexibility
- Better motion
- Release of scars or restrictions
- Better mobility of nerves
- Better movement of the spine, upper extremity (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand and fingers) and lower extremity (hips, knees, ankles and feet)
Common Manual Therapy Techniques
Techniques may include soft tissue mobilization, traction, joint mobilization, joint manipulation, passive range of motion, movement with mobilization, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and more.