What is manual therapy?

Manual therapy is a conservative treatment that is used to treat musculoskeletal pain. This type of therapy often involves the kneading or manipulation of the muscles in the body as well as joint mobilization and manipulation, which is performed by a licensed practitioner such as a physical therapist. In fact, about 80 percent of entry-level physical therapists have been trained on the basics of manual therapy. 

There are a variety of manual therapy methods that physical therapists use, including massage therapy, soft tissue mobilization, the strain-counterstrain method, muscle energy techniques and high velocity, low amplitude thrusting. A physical therapist will conduct a muscle and bone assessment, along with a blood and supply assessment, to choose the manual therapy treatment that is right for you. To learn more about the advantages of manual therapy and how to get started on your road to recovery, read the following article.

Benefits of manual therapy

As opposed to the harmful side effects associated with medication and surgical intervention, the use of manual therapy is a safe and highly effective method to treat a variety of conditions such as headaches, spine conditions and issues with joint mobility. Manual therapy works to ease pain and discomfort without hurting the muscles or joints. Furthermore, some other advantages of using manual therapy include:

  • Reducing pain
  • Relaxing muscles
  • Elevating mobility
  • Improving flexibility
  • Easing inflammation
  • Breaking up scar tissue
  • Increasing range of motion
  • Decreasing muscle spasms

Manual therapy treatments at SSOR

If you are interested in using manual therapy to treat chronic pain and discomfort, turn to SSOR today. We have multiple clinics with licensed, knowledgeable and experienced physical therapists that can perform evaluations to determine the source of your symptoms, educate you on your specific condition and establish a manual therapy treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.  

Our physical therapy methods will provide you with rapid results so you can get back to the activities you have been missing out on. Contact us today to learn more about our manual therapy methods and to schedule an initial appointment with our team.