Manual Therapy

What is manual therapy?

Manual therapy is a physiotherapy specialty in which the therapist uses their hands and specific techniques to assess and treat the body’s joints, muscles and nervous system — aiming to relieve pain, improve joint mobility and restore normal function.

What is treated

• Muscle: fascia, muscle belly, tendons, bony attachments
• Joint: cartilage, capsule and ligaments
• Nerve: nerve roots, peripheral nerves, spinal dura
• Disc: herniation, prolapse, discitis

Goals

1. Reduce soft-tissue adhesion
2. Relieve tight muscles and fascia
3. Soften scar tissue
4. Reduce joint stiffness and pain
5. Improve joint range of motion
6. Reduce swelling

It addresses pain such as sciatica, disc herniation, sports injury, rounded shoulders, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, arthritis, neck/back pain, bone spurs and strain.

Suitable cases

• Musculoskeletal pain: neck and back pain, frozen shoulder, tennis/golfer’s elbow, knee degeneration, carpal tunnel, trigger finger, de Quervain’s, arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Sports & soft-tissue injuries: sprains, strains, cartilage and ligament injury, plantar fasciitis, scoliosis, disc herniation.
• Stroke & neurological rehab: stroke, hemiplegia, numbness and pain, headache/dizziness, facial palsy.

Common techniques

• Joint mobility techniques: active, assisted or passive movement to maintain or increase range.
• Soft-tissue stretching: lengthening shortened tissue, reducing tone.
• Strengthening: progressive resistance to build muscle strength.
• Joint mobilisation (e.g. Mulligan): gentle oscillation or gliding to improve range and ease stiffness.
• Manual lymphatic drainage: gentle work to reduce swelling.
• Tui-na & acupuncture: promoting circulation and easing pain.
• Traction: relieving nerve-root compression.
• Exercise, electrotherapy, heat, percussion gun, stretching: improving circulation and function.

Techniques are matched to each person’s condition to help them regain independent movement. Results vary between individuals.