Are you struggling with persistent pain? Do your joint movements feel stiff and restricted? No matter the cause–and there are many injuries and conditions that can cause these symptoms–physical therapy offers a unique, hands-on approach to finding relief. At Ohana Physical Therapy, our manual therapy treatment plans can help you rehabilitate after surgery, recover from a musculoskeletal injury, and much more!
But what exactly is manual therapy? You can uncover the term’s meaning through its name:
- Manual, meaning hands
- Therapy, meaning treatment
Manual therapy, then, refers to hands-on treatments–treatments that harness the power of human touch. The term itself refers to several techniques and approaches, all offering unique benefits. Our team of experts will design a custom plan that utilizes the specific manual therapy techniques that will most help your condition.
Keep reading to learn more about manual therapy techniques and what they can do for you. Or, if you’re ready to receive your own manual therapy treatment plan, call our CO office today!
What Conditions Can Benefit from Manual Therapy?
We use manual therapy to help manage musculoskeletal conditions and impairments, including the following:
- Joint pain (back pain, knee pain, hip pain, etc)
- Soft tissue injuries (muscle strains, ligament injuries)
- Arthritis
- Nerve conditions (such as carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation
- Certain types of headaches
As you can see, manual therapy’s use is wide-ranging! The reason for this is that manual therapy offers several powerful benefits. Here are a few examples of what it can do:
- Reduce pain without the use of drugs
- Improve restricted range of motion and mobility
- Increase blood circulation, which helps facilitate healing
- Promote relaxation and enables you to destress
The key to reaping manual therapy’s benefits is a well-designed treatment plan. For many conditions, manual therapy works best when paired with more vigorous treatments, such as therapeutic exercise. Frequently, we employ manual therapy in the early part of your overall treatment plan, as it will provide the pain relief and early mobilization necessary to prepare your body for more intense strength, endurance, and functional training.
How Our Therapists Will Design Your Manual Therapy Treatment Plan
To design an effective plan, our therapists must first learn more about you, your symptoms, and your health history. That’s why your first appointment with us will be a comprehensive physical evaluation to help us fully understand your situation. The evaluation typically includes the following:
- A complete health history. This usually takes the form of an in-depth questionnaire, but we’ll also walk you through any relevant history.
- A review of your current symptoms. This helps us pinpoint the exact cause of your discomfort.
- Additional information about your situation. For example, if you suffered a sudden injury, we’ll talk to you about the circumstances. If we suspect an overuse injury, we might speak to you about your daily activities at work and recreation.
- Hands-on movement screens. Finally, we may ask you to perform simple movement screens that test your mobility, strength, balance, and other factors that may be relevant to your condition. These tests let us know where you’re starting from so we can choose the best treatment techniques–and more easily track your progress!
Once we’ve completed the evaluation, we’ll create your customized treatment program. Because no two patients are the same, no two treatment plans are the same, either. We’ll determine the exact details based on the cause of your discomfort, your recovery goals, and so on.
Once we’ve developed your plan, we’ll guide you through it, step by step, at subsequent appointments. Some people may find they may find you need less manual therapy as their condition improves, and so their treatment plan will shift to focus more on therapeutic exercise or functional training. However, people with chronic conditions may find that regular manual therapy sessions help them the most. It all depends on you!
Designing Manual Therapy Treatment Plans: What Are the Options?
There are several manual therapy techniques. Here are a few of the most common:
- Joint Mobilizations/Manipulations: If you’re struggling with a restricted range of motion, our therapists can help improve your mobility with these techniques. Joint mobilization involves gently guiding the joint through its current range of motion; joint manipulation involves thrusting it sharply instead.
- Soft Tissue Manipulation: Soft tissue refers to your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. By manipulating these tissues using a massage-like technique, we can help reduce pain and promote blood circulation to an injured area, facilitating healing.
- Myofascial Release: This type of soft tissue manipulation focuses on your myofascia, a web of flexible tissue that wraps around your muscles. If that tissue becomes restricted, it can cause pain throughout your body–so by releasing that tightness, you can find pain relief! We often use myofascial release to help relieve tension headaches, among other conditions.
- Trigger Point Therapy: Trigger points are small, tender nodules that form in your myofascia. While they can be tender to the touch, they can also cause referred pain–so you may have a trigger point in your neck that you experience in your arm. We’ll gently work out these knots, helping to eliminate pain.
Good manual therapy treatment plans will utilize specific techniques that address your unique needs and symptoms. Often, we’ll use a blend of multiple approaches to help you find the results you’re looking for.
Request an Appointment Today to Get Started!
Whether you’re struggling with pain and/or limited mobility, recently developed arthritis, or have orthopedic surgery scheduled in the future, manual therapy at Ohana Physical Therapy can likely benefit you! Schedule an appointment with our experts today to begin your journey toward a healthy, active, pain-free life.
