Manual Physiotherapy is a type of treatment which is used to treat many different ailments and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. This therapy has been around for centuries and is used by a lot of physiotherapists in their day-to-day practice. A physiotherapist is trained to detect problems with the musculoskeletal system and administer the required interventions. Injuries can be diagnosed using X-rays, MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) or Computer Assisted Tomography (CT). Once a diagnosis has been established, the physiotherapist will design an effective treatment plan for the patient.
Manual Physiotherapy usually employs methods which are aimed at improving the patient’s mobility or reducing pain. The aim of therapy is normally to increase the patient’s range of motion, reduce pain, improve muscle strength, increase flexibility, rehabilitate a joint and to restore normal function to the area affected. Manual therapy techniques can include exercises, manual manipulation or electrotherapy. Different techniques might be applied to different parts of the body depending on the nature of the injury and its impact on movement, health and pain management.
Patients who undergo manual physiotherapy are normally given instructions by their medical professionals on how to do the therapy. Often a referral to a skilled and trained manual therapist is needed. Physical therapy is an essential part of the medical professionals daily work and many people suffer from problems related to their soft tissue, joints, bones, muscles and other structures without being aware of it. Manual therapy techniques can help in providing relief from pain and other associated problems.
Manual therapy is often applied after a surgical procedure to reduce swelling and promote healing in the area. Some of the common techniques used are massage, cold packs and ultrasound therapies. For patients suffering from a specific condition such as arthralgia, a Manual Physiotherapy might be beneficial in relieving the pain associated with this condition. Exercises, manual manipulation and ultrasound sound techniques are applied to reduce stiffness and increase flexibility. This helps patients maintain a pain-free and active life.
Soft-tissue injuries can occur in the neck, hips, back, knee and shoulders. In addition, soft-tissue injuries may occur in areas not commonly used such as the knees, ankles and fingers. A manual therapy for these types of injuries focuses on the musculoskeletal system to restore normal function of the injured soft-tissue. Manual therapy may involve ultrasound, cold compression and electrical stimulation. Cold compression and electrical stimulation both reduce inflammation while increasing blood circulation.
There are numerous Manual Physiotherapy techniques that have been found to be effective in treating various injuries. These include ultrasound, cold laser therapy, joint mobilization and ultrasound guided orthoses. Joint mobilization is a manual therapy technique that involves moving joints up and down to increase mobility. It is also used to reduce pain and stiffness. Muscle force and ultrasound are used to increase flexibility by contracting and loosening up the muscle tissue. Manual physiotherapy techniques for body mechanics and movement have also been found to be helpful in improving athletic performance.