Manual Therapy
A hands-on technique used to help patients regain movement and alleviate discomfort
What is Manual Therapy?
Manual Therapy is one of the therapy options available at Premier Physical Therapy.
Manual therapy is hands-on physical therapy. At Premier Physical Therapy in Arlington, TX, Eva Bertrand uses her hands to move stiff joints, loosen tight muscles and free up soft tissue so you can move with less pain. It's always one part of a plan that includes exercise, so the gains you make on the table carry into everyday life.
Manual Techniques We Use
- Joint mobilization: slow, controlled movements of a joint to improve how far and how easily it moves, including spinal mobilization for the neck and back.
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Manipulation: a quick, small movement at a joint. You may hear a "pop," which is gas releasing from the joint, not a bone moving into place. {manipulation_note}
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Soft tissue mobilization: hands-on work on muscles, tendons and the tissue around them to ease tightness.
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Muscle energy technique: you gently push against the therapist's hand, then relax, which helps a tight muscle let go and a joint move more freely.
Some hands-on techniques have their own pages. Myofascial release uses slow, sustained pressure on the fascia. Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization uses smooth tools instead of hands. Dry needling uses thin needles to release tight muscle knots.
What It Feels Like
Most manual therapy feels like firm, focused pressure or a stretch. It shouldn't be sharp, and you can always ask Eva to ease off. It's common to feel a little sore for a day or so afterward, similar to after a workout. Hands-on work usually takes part of each visit, with the rest spent on exercise.
Conditions It Helps With
We use manual therapy as part of care for back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, knee pain, headaches and migraines and TMJ and jaw pain.
Why is It Paired with Exercise?
Manual therapy can relieve pain and open up movement quickly, but that change doesn't last on its own. Exercise is what teaches your body to use the new movement and keeps the problem from coming back. So each plan includes exercises in the clinic and a short home program.
A Comprehensive Therapy Approach
Your therapist can determine which treatment options fit your rehabilitation needs.
Myofascial Release
Myofascial Release is a hands-on technique that facilitates a stretch into restricted soft tissue by placing low-grade sustained pressure into a restricted tissue barrier.
Dry Needling
Dry Needling is the use of either solid filiform needles or hollow-core hypodermic needles for therapy of muscle pain.
Cold Laser Therapy
Cold Laser is a painless technique using specific wavelengths of light to treat painful and debilitating conditions and speed recovery of damaged cells or tissues.