Massage & Manual Therapy Center in Pennsylvania
What is Manual Therapy?
Manual therapy is a physical treatment used as a treatment to manage pain and combat disability. Used by occupational therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, athletic trainers, and physicians, manual therapy can be a useful tool when establishing a patient-centered, individualized care plan.
The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice recommends identifying a patient’s goals during the initial examination by the physical or manual therapist in order to increase the likelihood of successful rehabilitative outcomes.
The 3 M’s of Manual Therapy
Massage
Pressure is applied to the soft tissues of the body in this treatment. The aim of applying this pressure is to increase blood circulation, relax muscles, and relieve muscle pain. Including this type of manual treatment can often facilitate faster healing after an injury.
For people looking to naturally manage their chronic pain, massage therapy can improve their quality of life by impacting mood as well as managing pain and other benefits. When you live with chronic pain, having a toolbox of strategies you turn to for pain relief is important.
Massage can be a powerful tool for relaxing both mind and body.
Manipulation
A little more involved than a soft tissue massage, manipulation includes force and measured movements to align or realign bones and joints. This type of treatment is employed by chiropractors to help relieve joint pain and improve joint flexibility.
At its most effective, manipulation can be used to restore normal, pain-free movement. Specifically, spinal manipulation is generally a safe treatment for low-back pain when performed by a trained and licensed practitioner.
A common side effect may be some discomfort in the manipulated area, but that feeling will dissipate within a day or two.
Mobilization
Manual therapy can include joint mobilization.
Joint mobilization carefully forces a joint to move in a specific direction for realignment. Unlike stretching of a muscle, joint mobilization works with the joint itself and not the surrounding muscle.
Joint mobilization can improve range of motion and normalize joint function. Most importantly, joint mobilization aids in controlling pain.
Mobilization for a patient usually begins in a comfortable, relaxed position which allows the joint to move freely. The professional administering the manual therapy will use his or her hands to localize the joint and will apply needed force in the appropriate direction.
How Does The Medical Industry View Manual Therapy?
During the past 10 years, manual therapy has gained in popularity.
Not only have research studies have been conducted, but also there has been an increase in the number of manual therapy fellowship programs and an increase in the number of academic programs available.
Some of these studies have confirmed the positive benefit of manual therapy in the management of neck pain, low back pain, and chronic headaches.
Can The Injury Care Center Offer Manual Therapy As a Treatment For My Pain?
During your consultation with one of our professionals, the individualized care plan will be developed.
We have experts with special skills in a variety of manual therapy fields and would be more than willing to help you decide which type of manual therapy is best suited for your injury or pain.
We’ve recognized that there are many providers of care but not many providers who care!
That is why we wake up every day to serve those in the local community who deserve the best care following work injury, car accident, which results in Back Pain, Neck Pain, Shoulder Pain, Concussion, Headaches, etc.