WHAT IS MANUAL PHYSICAL THERAPY AND HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM TRADITIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY?

Traditional PT vs Manual PT

Traditional physical therapy treatments address patient dysfunction through the use of strengthening and flexibility activities, and the use of modalities such as hot/cold packs, and electrical stimulation for pain management. Manual physical therapy treatments focus on finding the root cause of the patient’s problem and utilizing hands-on techniques to restore proper joint function, optimal muscle tone and improvement of any connective tissue restrictions. I liken the difference between traditional physical therapy and manual physical therapy to someone with a rusty pickup truck who takes it to a paint shop for a fresh new coat of paint rather than a body shop to complete the underlying bodywork prior to painting it. The truck coming out of the body shop may look great for a while but eventually the rust reappears but the truck coming out of the body shop will look great for years to come because the underlying body repair work was done first. 

While there is definite value in stretches and exercises, the important distinction is that with traditional physical therapy the root cause of the problem may never be addressed through stretches and exercises alone. As a skilled manual physical therapist, my focus in each treatment is to find the primary cause of the problem, as well as any other underlying contributors, and resolve them. This is accomplished through manual joint corrections and restoration of normal muscle tone through a number of mechanisms such as hands-on muscle releases, cupping, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, and dry needling.  This approach typically results in prolonged pain relief and a quicker return to normal function.

Jim treats all areas of the body including neck, jaw, thoracic/rib, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, low back, pelvis, hip, knee, and foot/ankle. He treats post-surgical conditions as well as a wide array of chronic and acute conditions including (but not limited to) headaches/migraines, neck pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, shoulder pain/tendonitis, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, rib dysfunction, low back pain/sciatica, degenerative disc disease, stenosis, sacroiliac pain, bursitis, Patellofemoral pain syndrome, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, arthritis, and pediatric and adult sports injuries. 

• Joint mobilization and manipulation with realignment
• Myofascial and trigger point release
• Dry Needling
• Instrument Assisted soft tissue mobilization
• Cupping
• Therapeutic Taping
• Patient Specific Exercise Programs
• Health/Wellness Guidance
• Injury Prevention