Some years ago manual therapy was considered to be treatment for musculoskeletal conditions that relied solely on the physiotherapist’s handholds and maneuvers that he applied to the body of the patient. With his hands the therapist could perform mobilizations and manipulations of joints and soft tissue that would have a pain relieving and a movement unblocking effect.
In more recent years there has been a conceptual shift or rather an expansion of the concept of manual therapy. Physiotherapy literature and panels of experts have led to a more generalized idea of musculoskeletal rehabilitation and thus manual therapy nowadays is considered to be an advanced musculoskeletal rehabilitation specialty of physiotherapists, that is not limited to manual techniques, but is based upon a clinically reasoned treatment plan that can also consist of supervised exercise, patient education (such as “explain pain”), exercise prescription, cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence informed approaches.
When choosing “what”, “when” and “how” with regard to the treatment, the qualified physiotherapist uses his clinical reasoning that is acquired by his manual therapy education and his clinical experience.
At our Centre, physiotherapists, certified in manual therapy have the knowledge and expertise to help you overcome a musculoskeletal problem. Using movement therapy techniques to “unblock” your joints and muscles and then therapeutic exercise to optimize your physical condition and control of movement, we can definitely help you overcome your pain and dysfunction.
