Manual Therapy

Overview

Manual Therapy techniques are skilled hand movements and skilled passive movements of joints and soft tissue and are intended to improve tissue extensibility; increase range of motion; induce relaxation; mobilize or manipulate soft tissue and joints; modulate pain; and reduce soft tissue swelling, inflammation, or restriction. Techniques may include manual traction, soft tissue manipulation, mobilization/manipulation, and passive range of motion. 

Physiotherapist select, prescribe, and implement manual therapy techniques to minimize pain, restore function, enhance health and wellness, enhance or maintain physical performance; increase the ability to move; or prevent or remediate impairment in body functions and structures, activity limitations, or participation restrictions to improve physical function.

Different Techniques can be used to implement manual therapy that are not limited to

Myofascial Therapy targets the muscle and fascial systems, promotes flexibility and mobility of the body’s connective tissues. Myofascial Release is a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. This essential “time element” has to do with the viscous flow and the piezoelectric phenomenon: a low load (gentle pressure) applied slowly will allow a viscoelastic medium (fascia) to elongate. Each Myofascial Release Treatment session is performed directly on skin without oils, creams or machinery. This enables the therapist to accurately detect fascial restrictions and apply the appropriate amount of sustained pressure to facilitate release of the fascia.
Soft tissue Manipulation may be used as part of a treatment, this may reduce inflammation. Soft Tissue Technique is firm, direct pressure to relax hypertonic muscles and stretch tight fascial structures.

Friction massage is said to increase mobilization of adhesions between fascial layers, muscles, compartments and other soft tissues. 

Acupuncturists or other healthcare professionals use cold laser therapy for clients who are uncomfortable with needles. The low-level laser beams can stimulate your acupoints the same way needles do, but without piercing your skin.

 There are several trigger point techniques. Some techniques focus directly on the trigger point and taut band, while others are fascial release techniques, which affect a larger area of the muscle and its fascia. 

One of the drawbacks of this therapy may be time. While each cold laser therapy session only takes a few minutes, it may take as long as a month (with as many as four treatments a week) before you can gauge its effectiveness.

It also may not be covered by your insurance.

Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage. Stretching is a common intervention performed during rehabilitation. Stretching is prescribed to increase muscle length and ROM, or to align collagen fibers during healing muscle.
Joint manipulation is one of the most popular methods of providing greater range of motion (ROM) and pain relief to patients. Also sometimes referred to as ‘manual therapy,’ joint manipulation uses a variety of techniques to provide benefits to patients.

What are the Benefits of Joint Manipulation?

Joint manipulation is a technique utilized by healthcare and physiotherapy professionals to reduce pain and increase range of motion while working in conjunction with other treatment techniques to improve a patient’s overall quality of life.

  • Relief of musculoskeletal pain
  • Faster recovery time from acute back sprains
  • Increase in range of motion
  • Positive physiological effects on the central nervous system
  • ‘Unlocking joints’

Causes of Joint Dysfunction

Joint dysfunction can be caused by a number of issues including:

Underuse

People who have been confined to a wheel chair or bed may experience serious pain and damage in their joints as a result of underuse.

Overuse

Either over a short period of time of high exertion, or through a lifetime of continual use.

Natural joint dysfunction

Joints naturally deteriorate over time, but this fact does not make the process any less painful, inconvenient or damaging. Natural join dysfunction can be mitigated through joint manipulation

Trauma

Through injury, accident, or over a long period of time.

Post-opt

Issues arising after an operation for both related and unrelated issues.