Manual Therapy in Flowery Branch, GA

Manual therapy is part of a holistic approach to wellness, pain management, and injury recovery. It is folded in with traditional examinations and treatment methods, combined with exercise, pain education, and other physical therapy options.

The thing to understand about manual therapy is that it refers to the part of this holistic approach that involves the physical use of hands by a therapist.
This might trigger images of massage therapy — and that is certainly part of manual therapy — but there are other techniques and opportunities with this approach to healthcare.

One of the easiest ways to better understand manual therapy is to take a look at the various techniques that are used by medical professionals:

• Massage Therapy: One of the most common aspects of manual therapy, massage therapy is exactly what it sounds like. Tissue massages are used to help with a wide variety of issues related to soft tissue, blood vessels, muscle tissue, and connective tissues.

• Spinal Manipulation: Similar to what you would expect from a chiropractor, this is a manual therapy that involves pressure and manipulation that helps restore mobility in the spine and relieve pressure and stress.

• Mobilization: Spinal manipulation is actually a type of mobilization. Mobilization can be used to help restore mobility in various joints and parts of the body, all through the application of pressure and assisted motion from the therapist.

• Osteopathic Manipulation: This is a form of mobilization that specifically tries to improve joint range, but it is still manual therapy. Instead of using machines to train joints, the therapist will use their hands to guide motion and apply pressure as necessary to help damaged joints regain lost functionality.

While these are the primary techniques of manual therapy, any therapy that involves physical touch from a healthcare professional could fall into this category.

Manual therapy is a great choice for a couple of reasons. First, the hands-on approach is able to provide subtle, sophisticated therapeutic responses that can do more than a simple exercise or machine. Second, and more importantly, manual therapy is typically folded into a full wellness regime. You can get the best of physical therapy exercises and machines combined with manual therapy treatments, all under the diagnosis and prescription of a professional healthcare provider.

It’s the holistic approach that provides the best care, and modern manual therapy is built around that model, giving you the best options for physical recovery and improvement. If you would like to explore exactly how manual therapy might be able to help you, contact us today. We’ll be happy to hear from you.