Discover the Benefits of Manual Therapy
Manual therapy is an approach within physiotherapy and chiropractic care that involves using hands-on techniques to assess, diagnose, and treat various musculoskeletal and joint conditions. Our physiotherapists and chiropractors at Momentum Health use manual therapy, among other techniques, to help our patients restore their function, reduce pain, prevent injury, and promote overall well-being.
Key components of manual therapy include joint mobilization and manipulation, and chiropractic adjustments. These techniques involve carefully moving your joints, soft tissue manupulation, and and other targeted movements to help relieve muscle tension, correct joint imbalances, and restore optimal movement patterns in patients with various injuries or disorders.
Manual therapy techniques are often used in conjunction with other physiotherapy and chiropractic treatments, such as prescribed exercise, stretching, and strengthening techniques, to help patients recover from injuries or manage chronic pain.
Our treatment plans are designed to deliver effective results based on science-backed techniques and healing strategies with a results-driven approach to patient care. Whether you’ve had a recent injury, are suffering from symptoms of an underlying condition, or are unsure about the source of your pain, our physiotherapists and chiropractors in Creekside, Deerfoot, Mahogany, Ogden, Seton, Westbrook, West Springs, Evidence North, Evidence South and National Spine & Wellness are here to help you safely recover and return to the activities you enjoy!
Call our clinic today at (403) 455-0025 to learn more and schedule your assessment.
Conditions That Our Physiotherapists and Chiropractors Treat
At Momentum Health, our physiotherapists and chiropractors can apply manual therapy techniques to address a variety of common conditions that hinder mobility and cause discomfort.
The most prevalent conditions treated with manual therapy include musculoskeletal disorders, soft tissue injuries, and chronic pain syndromes, including the following:
- Neck and back pain: Studies have shown that manual therapy techniques such as massage or soft tissue mobilizations (targeted pressure along your muscles, tendons, and ligaments) can decrease pain and increase function. Hands-on treatment can relieve stiffness and get your spine moving better.
- Headaches: Our physiotherapists can treat headaches with manual therapy by examining the head and neck with hands-on pressure. This works by locating the stiff joints or cramped muscles and mobilizing the area to ease pressure and improve mobility.
- Sports injuries: We treat several sports injuries at Momentum Health with hands-on techniques, including joint mobilization and manipulation.
- Sprains and strains: Stretching or tearing of ligaments (fibrous tissue that connects bones and joints) or overstretching or overusing muscles and tendons.
- Repetitive stress: Overuse injuries that result in inflammation of muscles, tendons, and/or joints.
- Chronic pain syndromes: Conditions like fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome are characterized by persistent pain and tenderness and can significantly impact your quality of life.
Our highly skilled physiotherapists and chiropractors can use manual therapy techniques to address your symptoms by employing a personalized, evidence-based approach designed to promote healing and restore function.
Wondering if physiotherapy or chiropractic is right for you? Contact us today to learn more about our evidence-based care plans and book an assessment!
Manual Therapy Techniques
Our physiotherapists and chiropractors excel at providing comprehensive evaluations to ensure the best possible outcomes for our clients. To begin, a detailed medical history will be collected, helping the therapist understand any underlying conditions, previous injuries, or ongoing concerns. This crucial step allows for the development of a targeted and effective treatment strategy.
Next, a hands-on assessment will be conducted by the physiotherapist or chiropractor. This assessment involves palpation and observation to identify areas of pain, tightness, and dysfunction. The hands-on approach provides valuable insight into the root causes of your discomfort.
To further evaluate your condition, joint testing, range of motion and strength testing will be performed. These tests allow the therapist to pinpoint specific limitations and design a personalized rehabilitation program to restore optimal function.
Our therapists will use specific research-supported treatments depending on your condition and symptoms. Common hands-on techniques include:
Types of Manual Therapy
- Mobilization: Mobilizations involve gentle, repetitive movements, stretching, or oscillations applied to joints or soft tissues. These techniques help improve joint mobility, reduce stiffness, and alleviate pain without high-velocity thrusts.
- Manipulation: This involves skilled, passive movement applied to a joint or spinal segment by the therapist. Manipulation techniques aim to restore normal joint mobility, reduce pain, and improve function. High-velocity, low-amplitude thrusts are often used in joint manipulation.
- Manual Traction: Traction involves applying a controlled pulling force to the spine or limbs to decompress joints, reduce pressure on nerves, discs and improve mobility. It can be beneficial for conditions such as spinal disc herniation or nerve impingement.
- Passive stretching: Passive stretching is fully led by your therapist so that you are able to fully rest your body in a specific position. This method can help restore your range of motion and increase flexibility.
- Muscle Energy Techniques (METs): METs are active techniques that involve the patient’s voluntary muscle contractions in specific directions against a controlled resistance provided by the therapist. METs help improve joint mobility, muscle flexibility, and neuromuscular control.
Our physiotherapists and chiropractors take pride in using an evidence-based approach in their practice. We treat all types of soft tissue disorders with manual therapy techniques and various other treatment methods like stretching and strengthening exercises, all aimed at achieving all your goals!
Ready to experience optimal results? Contact our clinic today and start your journey to recovery!
What to expect at physiotherapy sessions
Our physiotherapy practice strives to optimize your health and vitality with our comprehensive, evidence-based approach. Our dedicated physiotherapists ask about your past and present health conditions, surgeries, injuries, and lifestyle habits. This thorough evaluation helps us understand your unique situation so we can tailor our treatment plan to meet your specific needs.
We identify essential insights into your physical capabilities and limitations by assessing your joints and gauging your muscle strength. We’ll also conduct comprehensive balance, coordination, and functional movement screens to identify any abnormalities contributing to your discomfort or limiting your activities.
Our evidence-based evaluation allows us to develop targeted interventions to improve your gait and overall mobility. Common treatments may include the following:
- Manual Therapy: This form of physiotherapy treatment involves hands-on techniques therapists perform to increase joint mobility, reduce pain, and facilitate movement.
- Soft Tissue Massage techniques, such as myofascial release, active release, petrissage, effleurage, and trigger point release, target tight muscles and fascia, promoting relaxation, improved range of motion, and circulation.
- Exercise Prescription: Specific exercises will be tailored to your individual needs, with the aim is to improve or restore physical function and help you manage your conditions.
- Neuromuscular Re-education: This treatment approach is designed to restore normal body movement patterns. It involves techniques that retrain the nervous system to control and coordinate muscle activity effectively.
- Patient Education: This crucial component of your rehab involves teaching you about your conditions, the healing process, and how to prevent future injuries. We’ll provide instructions on correct body mechanics during daily activities, ergonomic advice for workplace settings, or guidelines for home exercise programs.
Our commitment to research-backed methods ensures you receive the most effective, results-oriented care possible. Physiotherapy at Momentum Health doesn’t just alleviate symptoms—it also improves overall function.
Your Next Steps…
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