What is manual physical therapy and how can it help you?

Hands-on therapy, or manual therapy, is a medical treatment performed by a physical therapist. The physical therapist uses their hands and other manual techniques to assess pain and stiffness, mobility, and muscle strength. These manual movements and manipulations are used to improve your mobility, relieve pain and prevent further injury. Manual physical therapy can be used in combination with other treatments such as medication, orthopedic bracing or surgery.

What is manual physical therapy used for?

Manual physical therapy may be used for treating any of the following conditions:

• Neck pain.
• Back pain.
• Painful joints, including arthritis.
• Headaches.
• Other types of persistent pain caused by injury or muscle strain.

The top benefits are helping patients improve their mental and emotional well-being, increasing their mobility, and reducing chronic pain. Many people who suffer from chronic pain struggle with depression. It can help people resume an active lifestyle and feel better about themselves.

Let’s look a little deeper:

Treating chronic pain — People suffering from chronic pain know how difficult it can be to live a normal life. They often feel isolated and depressed because they aren’t able to do the things they want to do. This hands-on approach is designed to treat the cause of chronic pain, not just the symptoms. By working with a therapist to discover the root of the problem, patients can learn how to manage their pain and improve their quality of life.

Breaking up scar tissue — Manual therapy can help break up scar tissue, improve range of motion and decrease pain. Scar tissue is made up of collagen fibers like those found in normal soft tissue, such as muscles. However, the fibers in normal soft tissue are flexible, individual strings. Scar tissue collagen fibers are stuck or bundled together; as a result, the fibers in scar tissue are less flexible. This is why they may restrict your ability to move. 

Increase mobility — Hands-on therapy treatments can help decrease pain and improve movement and posture, and techniques such as joint mobilization or joint manipulation can be used to treat muscle pain or restrictions in joints.

If you have been looking for time-tested treatment, Advent Physical Therapy is ready to provide a path to pain relief. Contact us today to set up your initial appointment.