Manual Therapy

Manual therapy is a specialized area of physical therapy for the management of musculoskeletal conditions. It is based on clinical reasoning and uses highly specific treatment approaches. Manual therapy includes joint mobilization, joint manipulation, soft tissue mobilization and muscle energy techniques.

A number of professionals besides physical therapists use manual therapy as an intervention including osteopaths and chiropractors. It is one of the oldest interventions in medicine, having a rich and diverse history. At Ignite Physical Therapy, our therapists use safe mid-range techniques that avoid forceful end-range thrusts that are often scary and dangerous. By performing techniques this way, serious complications are extremely rare with adverse effects occurring approximately 1 in every 100 million manipulations, making it generally as safe as using NSAID’s.

Not every patient is a candidate for manual therapy, and our therapists will use specific knowledge and detailed tests to determine the appropriate use of mobilization/manipulation as a treatment approach with your specific situation.