Most physical therapists use some form of manual therapy throughout a course of treatment, whether the patient is someone recovering from an injury or an athlete looking to improve their performance.

Manual therapy is described as the physical act in placing hands on a patient to provide either a joint or soft tissue mobilization or manipulation to improve range of motion, restore function, regain neuromuscular control, improve pain/sensitivity, and so much more.

What Treatments Are Involved?

Some of the available treatment techniques for manual therapy include:

  • Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
  • Manual Traction
  • Muscle Energy Technique
  • Manual Capsular or Muscle Stretch
  • Joint Mobilization or Manipulation
  • Dry Needling
  • Ischemic Compression

Depending on your treatment goals and needs, your physical therapist may use any number of these manual therapy methods to treat the affected area.

Combining Treatment with Education

Manual techniques are often used as a supplement to the overall physical therapy treatment. Understanding the neurobiology and neurophysiology of pain is critical for most manual therapy patients, especially for those suffering with chronic pain. Studies show that the more educated a patient is on pain neuroscience, the more their pain decreases, as well as experiencing reduced symptom catastrophization, disability, and improvements in physical performance.

Pain education is important because it provides an altered belief to the pain source.

Say you’re experiencing chronic lower back pain, for example, and you believe the muscles around your lower spine cause this discomfort. However, when pain persists, the brain is sensitized to the continuous irritation. As a result, the way you perceive and interpret the pain will be different than when the original spinal injury occurred.

Want to Learn More about Manual Therapy?

The physical therapists at SetPT are trained and knowledgeable in using manual therapy to treat pain.

Schedule an appointment with your local SetPT therapist to find out if manual therapy is the right option for you!