Manual Therapy

Manual therapy is a general term encompassing hands-on techniques often with a primary focus on the musculoskeletal system. This encorporates soft tissue mobilization, massage, muscle energy techniques, strain/counterstrain, trigger point work, joint mobilization, joint manipulation, myofascial release and craniosacral therapy. Joint mobilization is a graded stretch on a joint capsule while a manipulation (most common in chiropractic) is a high velocity thrust technique to break through adhesions or joint capsule tightness, both restoring motion to the joint and improving function. There is a difference between techniques, which impose forces on the body (joint mobilization, fascial mobilization, and manipulation), as compared to those that encourage the body to self-correct (Myofascial release, craniosacral therapy). For example, in a frozen shoulder, joint mobilization and /or manipulation may break adhesions and restore motion. Myofascial release can have the same result through an osseous release. Both may achieve the same result but through a different mechanism or a combination of techniques may be more effective.