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Getting Back to Basics with Manual Therapy in Vancouver

Some of the tools used in modern manual therapy may appear quite sophisticated; however, the actual practice of manual manipulation dates back thousands of years. Despite all the advances in modern science, manual therapy remains one of the most widely used and most effective physiotherapy techniques used today.

Benefits of Manual Therapy

Due to its hands-on approach, manual therapy is able to combine science and art to provide patients with highly personalized, targeted treatment. Individuals suffering from back, shoulder, neck, foot, ankle or knee pain and those with reduced mobility due to limited joint range can benefit from manual therapy in Vancouver.
Research has shown that in some cases, such as chronic neck pain, manual therapy was more effective than any other physiotherapy technique in providing accelerated relief and long-term results.

Techniques Used in Manual Therapy

Manual therapy encompasses dozens of specific techniques to treat musculoskeletal pain and restricted mobility due to joint or muscle pain. Using targeted manual manipulation methods, therapists can help restore full motion to impacted soft tissue or joint areas, reduce pain, and improve overall mobility.

Manual therapy in Vancouver is a very individualized approach to physical therapy, and each patient will receive the treatment they need based on their injuries, ability, and history. Some of the techniques often incorporated into manual therapy include:

• Traction – manual or sometimes mechanical means of decompressing the spine
• Massage
• Trigger point therapy – targeted treatment that uses firm pressure on specific areas of pain
• Active release technique – a soft tissue treatment used to treat pain and increase mobility by isolating and breaking up scar tissue
• Assisted active range of motion (AAROM)
• Lymph drainage – a massage technique used to drain excess fluids and reduce swelling
• Stretching
• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization
• Joint mobilization – uses slow, directional manual techniques to reduce joint stiffness and relax tight or painful muscles
• Joint manipulation – targeted, quick thrusts which are used to provide immediate pain relief where mobilization techniques may not be enough

Manual Therapy as Part of a Treatment Plan

Manual therapy is not a one-off technique. It’s often used in conjunction with other physiotherapy techniques as a part of an overall rehabilitation plan. Most people have heard of physiotherapy, why its used, and its benefits. Manual therapy can be seen as a precursor to physiotherapy rehabilitation; before an injury gets rehabilitated, it needs to be identified and treated. And that is what manual therapy techniques are used for.
Where physiotherapy in Vancouver focuses on restoring muscle flexibility and strength through exercise, strength training, and stretching, manual therapy identifies the source of the pain or dysfunction and employs techniques to help resolve the issue at the source.

Manual therapy techniques are safe, non-invasive and have been proven effective over thousands of years. If you are recovering from an injury, accident or surgery, manual therapy in Vancouver can help relieve pain, speed up recovery, and promote long-term healing.