The researchers found that the only intervention to clearly improve neck pain that was supported by the evidence in these studies was targeted neck and shoulder musculature strengthening exercise.
How do we treat shin splints with manual therapy?
The first goal of manual therapy treatment for shin splints is to relieve the tension of the involved musculature by lessening baseline muscle tone and eliminating any trigger points that might be present. The second goal is to treat swelling, if present.
Can manual therapy alter the thoracolumbar fascia?
To believe that manual therapy cannot affect the structure of thoracolumbar fascia is to deny the fundamental characteristic of soft tissue known as creep!
How do we treat Golfer’s Elbow with manual therapy?
A good protocol for manual therapy for golfer’s elbow involves fascial spreading, longitudinal and cross fiber strokes, and pin and stretch technique.
How do we treat sciatica with manual therapy?
It is necessary to determine what condition is causing the sciatic nerve compression and address that. If the cause is a pathologic disc, then addressing factors that affect disc compression is appropriate.
How do we treat patellofemoral syndrome with manual therapy?
Given the many possible causes of patellofemoral syndrome, following is a typical guideline for manual therapy treatment.
How do we treat spinal joint dysfunction with manual therapy?
Joint mobilization treatment (Grade IV or V) is the most effective treatment technique to remedy a spinal joint dysfunction hypomobility once it is present.
Manual therapy and self-care treatment of wrist sprain, strain & tendinitis
A wrist sprain is challenging to treat with manual therapy because it is essentially an overstretching of ligaments, which causes joint instability.
What is the medical approach to wrist sprains, strains, and tendinitis?
The medical approach to wrist sprain/strain is usually to recommend rest, a brace, and non-steroidal or steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.
Deep Pressure Massage to the Low Back – Deep Strokes
To transition to perform deep strokes and maintain proper body mechanics, it is necessary to transition from being perpendicular to be slightly horizontal to glide along the client’s body. However, minimize the horizontal direction or pressure into the client’s tissues will be lost.
What are the self-care and medical approaches to spinal joint dysfunction?
As a rule, moist heat followed by stretching is beneficial for spinal hypomobilities, and strengthening is beneficial for regions of spinal hypermobility.
Massage Therapy Reduces Pain in Mothers After Caesarean Birth
Mothers who had massage therapy after caesarean birth had increased relaxation, decreased pain, decreased stress, and decreased opioid use.
What are the self-care and medical approaches to rotator cuff pathology?
Self-care for the client/patient with rotator cuff pathology depends on the specific muscle that is affected and the specific pathology that is present.
Body Mechanics for Deep Pressure Massage to the Low Back – Overview
For proper body mechanics, it is important to support your contact. Place the thumb pad of your right hand over the thumb pad contact of the left hand to brace/support it. Proper location of the brace is to place the right thumb pad on the dorsal surface of the distal phalanx of the thumb.
Altered Pelvic Bone Motion and Sacroiliac Pain
These findings of altered movement and glide support the concept that altered mechanics of the sacroiliac joint are correlated with the presence of pain.
How do we treat Whiplash with manual therapy?
A whiplash/neck sprain is problematic to treat because it involves overstretching of ligaments, which causes joint instability.
Decreasing Postoperative Abdominal Adhesions using Manual Therapy
This study demonstrates that manual therapy initiated immediately postoperatively is an effective preventive approach for postoperative abdominal adhesions.
How Access to Care Shapes the Work of Manual Therapists
Therapists hold a unique position in healthcare. They bridge the gap between insurance realities and healing outcomes.
Why Muscle Strains Need Real Rest and Not Just a “Walk It Off” Mindset
The guide contains vital details about muscle strains and their healing process through correct rest methods.
The Effect of Manual Therapy on COPD
Soft tissue manipulation produced immediate clinically meaningful improvements in lung function in patients with severe and very severe COPD.
Deep Pressure Massage to the Low Back – Choosing the Treatment Contact
When working the low back, a good strategy is to begin with a smaller treatment contact such as thumb or finger pads to assess and begin treatment of the lumbar region, and then switch to a larger contact such as the palm or elbow to deliver deeper pressure.
How do we treat Achilles tendon disorders with manual therapy?
Manual therapy for a chronic Achilles tendon disorder is aimed at decreasing plantarflexor tightness and breaking up excessive fascial adhesion scar tissue.
Deep Pressure Massage to the Low Back – Tissue Tension Barrier
Being able to feel tissue tension barriers is the one most important hands-on skill that an orthopedic manual therapist needs. Clinical orthopedic manual therapy (massage and stretching) only effects change if we reach tissue tension and then apply slightly more force beyond it.
Myofascial Trigger Point Treatment and Lactate Levels
Massage therapy might reduce a myofascial trigger point by increasing lactate levels, not by directly increasing arterial blood flow.
Manual Therapy Treatment Strategy for the Low Back and Pelvis
For treatment strategy to be effective, treatments should be spaced no more than 2 to 3 days apart until the desired improvement has been achieved.
What is Manual Therapy?
The following techniques are considered to be Manual Therapy techniques: Massage (Soft Tissue Manipulation), Stretching, Joint Mobilization, Hydrotherapy.
Infant Touch Lessens Pain in Infants
The major take-home points regarding infant touch from this study are: 1. Touch can be beneficial toward lessening pain; and 2. The quality of touch matters.
Manual Therapy Certification for Pilates Instructors
Pilates is kinesthetic. Verbal talking to direct your client is not. Hands-on Manual direction is. Plain and simple, Pilates is a kinesthetic endeavor.
Precautions for Manual Therapy of the Lumbar Spine and Pelvis
The low back and pelvis contain a number of sensitive structures whose locations are important to know because they contraindicate deep pressure.
Massage Improves Children’s Surgical Postoperative Recovery
Children receiving postoperative massage therapy had significantly lower anxiety and lower exposure to benzodiazepines than the standard of care group.






























