Manual Therapy: What You Should Know
A physical therapist helps patients recover after a surgery or injury or from a muscular problem. Part of physical therapy is manual therapy. If you have never heard of manual therapy, here is what you need to know:
What Is Manual Therapy?
Manual therapy is a form of physical therapy in which the therapists use their hands to treat the patient. The physical therapist uses their hands to manipulate the body and ease muscular and nerve pain. Pressure is applied to the muscles and soft tissues to help restore normal function. This type of therapy is similar to massage but is completely different. Manual therapy also takes psychological and neurophysiological factors into account. The therapist will apply manual stress to these areas to address pain, decrease muscle tension, restore movement, and help stiff muscles and joints.
What Does Manual Therapy Consist Of?
A physical therapist will perform several techniques in their manual therapy practice. Soft tissue work allows the physical therapist to apply pressure to the affected areas to help improve circulation, decrease pain, decrease inflammation, and to help with tension. This may also include stretching exercises.
The manual therapy will also help to increase mobilization to help restore movement to the joints and bones. Physical therapists also target issues with posture and improve muscle energy.
To attain improvement in all of these areas, a physical therapist may use traction, trigger point therapy, massage, lymph drainage, joint stretching, soft tissue mobilization, and active release. Your physical therapist will use the best therapies to improve the condition you are suffering from.
What Conditions Can Manual Therapy Treat?
There are several issues that can be healed with manual therapy. After your condition is fully assessed and a treatment plan is developed, they will then apply the therapies that will treat your issue. Some of the health conditions that can be treated with manual therapy include hip problems, ankle pain, foot pain, injuries from an accident, muscle spasms and tension, and neck pain. This form of treatment also helps treat joint issues with the knees, elbows, shoulders, and wrists.
Physical therapy can do so much to help you heal not only your impending issue but also other areas of your body using manual therapy. Manual therapy is a non-invasive procedure. Manipulating the body helps to release toxins and tensions that can cause a variety of problems throughout the body.
Contact a physical therapy clinic for more information.
