Manual therapy uses a hands-on approach to treat restrictions in spinal motion as well as restrictions in motion of the upper and lower extremities. Manual therapy helps to decrease pain, reduce muscle tightness, improve movement within joints, and improve the overall function of the body.
In acute injuries, the history of injury is quite obvious and manual therapy is used to reduce swelling and regain normal movement and function. With chronic issues, the history of injury becomes more complex. The manual therapy assessment attempts to unravel the adaptations the body has undergone to determine the primary cause of the issue.
Our bodies are brilliant at adjusting and adapting to injury and as a result, we often times feel we have recovered fully from various insults to our musculoskeletal system. It is then quite perplexing why an unexplained joint or muscle discomfort seems to appear without any recent history of injury. By determining the primary driver (original instigator) causing the issue and addressing it, the body is better able to return to optimal movement and function.
Manual therapy treatment includes mobilization/manipulation of joints, myofascial release, neural mobilization, and soft tissue mobilization to release tightened or restricted structures. Manual correction is used to address deep seated adjustments the body has undergone to accommodate to musculoskeletal imbalances or injuries in the past. Hands-on cueing is also an important aspect of manual therapy to give the central nervous system direct feedback on correct exercise technique and optimal movement patterning.
The Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy offers further insight into the specialized area of orthopaedic manual and manipulative therapy.
