What is Manual Therapy?
It is a hands-on, specialized physical therapy treatment. By applying pressure where you are having pain or limited motion, the physical therapist creates passive movement of the joints and soft tissue. It has been proven to reduce pain and increase mobility, without the use of painkillers or expensive surgeries.
Manual therapy is typically implemented with other traditional physical therapy techniques, usually achieving greater results. It is especially beneficial for treating acute and chronic pain and can also reduce inflammation and swelling of soft tissue.
Forms of Manual Therapy
There are a lot of different avenues therapists can take to use manual therapy to help the patient’s condition. Some of the different forms include:
- Myofascial trigger point therapy
- Soft tissue mobilization/manipulation
- Muscle energy techniques
- Proprioceptive therapy
- Strain-counterstrain
Conditions Manual Therapy Can Treat
There are a number of conditions that can be successfully treated with manual therapy, such as neck and lower back pain. It can also treat Fibromyalgia, migraines and headaches, TMJ, and pain in the knee, ankle, hip, and shoulder. Results PT incorporates manual therapy into 95% of our treatment plans.
You can visit our treatment and condition pages to discover how we can help.
How Result PT Uses Manual Therapy
When most people go to their first physical therapy appointment, they usually expect their care plan to include exercises and stretches to treat their injury or painful area. These are both important parts of physical therapy, but patients typically get better and faster results when these exercises are paired with manual therapy.
When we first see a patient, our team starts with a thorough examination and evaluation to identify the problem. Manual therapy is used during the examination to test range of motion and pinpoint any trigger points or tense muscles. The physical therapist will then determine what kind of hands-on treatment the patient will need.
Our PTs will recommend exercises for strengthening, conditioning, and endurance. We will also use manual therapy to work with the joint structures and muscles to improve the mechanics of that joint. This helps the joint to tolerate the recommended exercises well, improving day-to-day function and reducing pain. Dry needling can also be implemented as part of the patient’s care plan to increase better to target trigger points.
The last piece of a care plan is patient education. We will talk through the patient’s injury, as well as what we find in our examination. The PT will thoroughly explain the care plan, ensuring that the patient is comfortable continuing it at home.
What Sets Us Apart
What truly sets Results PT apart is our evaluative capabilities in finding, touching, and treating the problem. We continually reassess to see if our efforts have had a positive effect or outcome. Results PT makes sure that all of our physical therapists have the training needed to accurately assess and evaluate the complication before recommending a course of treatment.
Our use of manual therapy separates us from other physical therapy offices. It is a treatment that most PTs use, but they don’t use it with almost every patient. We are hands on with most patients, unless that particular patient doesn’t need manual therapy to treat their injury or condition. Since it is so effective when paired with other forms of treatment and exercises, our patients get great results quickly.
When you come to Results PT, you will see the same physical therapist on every visit. This ensures that there is no change over, and there is better continuity of care. Your PT will take care of you from the initial examination to completion of treatment.
As each person is unique, their care plan should be as well. When it comes to physical therapy, it is not one size fits all. Not every individual can expect to see optimal results with a cookie cutter treatment plan, which is why customized treatment plans are ideal. Because of this, our PTs put together a custom treatment plan for each patient, personalized to them and their specific injury. This will ensure that they get the best results possible.
Simply put, we get exceptional outcomes for our patients. Our physical therapists are highly trained, hands on, and use the best forms of treatment to receive better results for our patients. Our use of manual therapy combined with exercises and other activities contributes to our patients achieving lasting results and being able to live pain free.
Results PT physical therapists have four times industry training and education. We have a high percentage of certified manual therapists, as well as a number of PTs with further education and certifications.
All of our PTs are trained specifically in manual therapy. When a physical therapist first comes to work at Results PT, they go through internal training with mentors within the company and also do outside coursework to become manually certified.
At Results, all of our physical therapists can treat anything. We don’t have PTs that are specialized in just one body part. All of our PTs are specialized in everything, so their knowledge and ability to treat anyone isn’t limited.
Call Us for an Appointment!
If you are suffering from an injury or are experiencing pain, call Results Physiotherapy. Our physical therapists are highly trained and will put together a personalized treatment plan to help you heal as quickly as possible. Call us today for a consultation, or schedule one online!
