Manipulation Therapy
Manipulation, also known as manipulative therapy, manual therapy, spine manipulation, or spinal manipulative therapy, is a physical form of therapy done by physiotherapists and physical therapists to treat disabilities and musculoskeletal pain.
The practice involves manipulation of the muscles, kneading, joint manipulation, and joint mobilisation. Also, it is used by occupational therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors, physicians, athletic trainers, and osteopaths in the treatment of physical conditions.
The process of spine manipulation combines exercise, massage, physical therapy, and the moving of jolting joints. It is specifically done to relieve pressure at the joints, improve nerve function, and reduce inflammation. Often it is used in the treatment of shoulder, neck and back pain, as well as headaches. It is also used by chiropractors to treat disorders like sinus problems and menstrual pain.
Who Needs Manipulation Treatment?
People of all ages and backgrounds can benefit from osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT). The treatment promotes healing, relieves pain, and increases overall mobility.
Manipulation is often used to treat muscle pain, but it also helps in treating other health problems such as migraines, sinus disorders, menstrual pain, and asthma.
How Does Manipulation Work?
A key idea in osteopathic medicine is the belief that the restriction and tightness in the nerves and muscles can result from, or lead to, other problems. Thus, experts in this field have mastered the practice of using their hands to gently stimulate and move the joint and tissues around to treat any restriction in the full range of motion.
Manipulation involves over 100 different spinal adjustments performed by chiropractors, a doctor of osteopathy, or a physical therapist. The practitioner’s hands or a small tool are used to manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues. There is more to the process than the relatively simple removal of kinks and knots in a muscle.
Common conditions that manipulation helps to treat include lower back pain, headache, migraine, sports injuries, and neck pain or stiffness. Massage therapists employ the techniques of manipulation to work out pains and chronic aches associated with a range of conditions where the pain is caused by problems in the soft tissue.
Types of Manipulation
The aim of manipulation treatment is to increase the range of motion, relieve pain, and help patients carry out daily activities better. Typically, these treatments are safe and effective, and they expel mild soreness and other discomforts like dizziness and fatigue within a few days.
Osteopathic and chiropractic manipulation are some the most common types of complementary health practices in many parts of the world.
Chiropractic Manipulation
Also known as chiropractic adjustment and spinal manipulation, this type of manipulation is common in the treatment of neck pain and lower back pain.
The process involves re-arranging joints for better alignment by moving them around, and beyond, their normal motion range. It is commonly used to reduce pressure on the spinal nerves, and to control muscle spasms.
There are a couple of key techniques involved in chiropractic manipulation.
- Low-velocity adjustment:This involves pulling, slow stretching, and pushing forces.
- High-velocity adjustment:The chiropractor moves the joint through its full range of motion while applying firm pressure, after which a quick manual thrust is delivered in a specific area to improve joint mobility.
Osteopathic manipulation, although being very effective in treating chronic pain, should be avoided by certain people, particularly individuals with osteoporosis, bone cancer, and those who have had a spinal fusion.
Getting Treated
If you are suffering from a medical condition that can be treated using a form of manipulation treatment such as lower back pain, neck pain, headache, or other types of musculoskeletal disorder, we have a team of experts skilled in manipulation treatment. Contact us today!