Manual Therapy is a special form of physical therapy delivered with hands. It is a method by which physiotherapists can assess and treat their patients with skilled hand movements.
Manual Therapy is actually a large Umbrella under which many specific hands-on techniques reside and some of them are:
- Soft Tissue Mobilization
- Massage
- Scar Mobilization
- Myofascial Release ( MRT)
- Strain Counter strain or (PRT)
- Muscle Energy Technique
- McKenzie Method (MDT) for spine
- Active Release Technique (ART)
Goals of Manual Therapy
Manual therapy techniques have a time and place in a physical therapist’s assessment and treatment. Based on the presentation of symptoms and the outcome the physical therapist is looking to achieve, they may use one or multiple forms of manual therapy. When applying these techniques, physical therapists are looking to achieve one or more of the following outcomes:
- Decrease and/or manage pain
- Increase the range of motion at a joint
- Promote relaxation
- Improve tissue extensibility
- Reduce inflammation of soft tissue
- Mobilize a specific joint
- Reduce movement restrictions
There are no absolute contraindications to manual therapy, but there are some conditions in which precautions should be taken
- Open wound
- Skin Infections
- Osteoporosis
- Malignancy
- Vertebral Artery Insufficiency
- Hypermobility
- Undiagnosed pain
- Recent fracture.