Manual Physical Therapy in East St. Louis, IL | Injury and Chronic Pain Treatment

Manual Physical Therapy in East St. Louis, IL: A Hands-On Treatment

Manual physical therapy in East St. Louis, IL. Physical therapy is a healthcare profession that focuses on restoring movement and function to patients who have suffered from injury or illness. At Axes, our East St. Louis, IL physical and occupational therapists return our clients to the activities they love by using treatments that have been proven to work. One treatment that consistently works for our clients is manual therapy, in which your Axes physical therapist in East St. Louis, IL uses their hands and specialized instruments to safely and effectively relieve pain and restore motion to your joints and soft tissue. If you’re suffering pain or mobility issues in East St. Louis, IL that are keeping you from the things you love most, contact Axes through our website or call the location nearest you to get back to the life you want.

Manual Physical Therapy Defined

The IFOMPT defines “manual therapy” as:

a specialized area of physiotherapy / physical therapy for the management of neuro-musculoskeletal conditions, based on clinical reasoning, using highly specific treatment approaches including manual techniques and therapeutic exercises.

Manual physical therapy dates back to over 2,000 years ago. Also known as hands-on therapy, manual therapy is specialty within the practice of physical therapy. It’s a type of treatment in which the physical therapists utilizes their hands to manipulate, mobilize, and massage affected body parts and surrounding tissues. This approach can be used to address a wide range of conditions and injuries, including chronic pain, arthritis, muscle spasms, and more. It encourages the body to promote healing, reduce pain, and restore function.

The goal of manual physical therapy is to help patients regain optimal health and function through non-surgical interventions that can be used by themselves or in concert with other techniques, such as exercise and stretching. Studies show that a combination of manual physical therapy and other types of physical therapy, such as exercise prescription, typically gets better results than either therapy used on its own. At Axes, our East St. Louis, IL physical therapists exclusively use treatment plans that are backed by evidence.

Manual Physical Therapy East St. Louis, IL | Injury Recovery | Orthopedic Rehab Near East St. Louis

What Injuries and Conditions Can Manual Physical Therapy Help With in East St. Louis, IL

Manual physical therapy can be used to treat a wide range of conditions and injuries. Here are some examples:

Back pain — Manual physical therapy can be effective in treating chronic low back pain, which up to 84%of U.S. adults deal with at some stage in their lifetime.
Neck pain — Manual physical therapy can also be used to treat neck pain, which can be caused by poor posture, stress, or an accident.
Sports injuries — East St. Louis, IL athletes who experience sports injuries like sprains, strains, and ACL tears can recover from their injury quicker through manual therapy.
Arthritis — Manual physical therapy can be used to treat arthritis, a degenerative condition used to describe a group of conditions that cause pain and inflammation in the joints. Manual Therapy is a great way to reduce issues in your joints, improve mobility, and impede the disease from spreading further.
Fibromyalgia — Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and tenderness in particular areas of the body.
Headaches — Manual physical therapy can also be effective in treating headaches, including tension headaches and migraines.

These are just a few examples of the many conditions and injuries that manual physical therapy can help treat. If you are suffering from pain or stiffness, speak to an Axes East St. Louis, IL physical therapist to find out if manual physical therapy is right for you. After you come to any of our locations for a free free injury screenings, we’ll work alongside with you and your physician to get you back to the activities you love most with techniques that have been proven to work.

Manual Techniques Axes’ East St. Louis, IL Physical Therapists Use

There are several different types of manual physical therapy techniques that a therapist in East St. Louis, IL may recommend for your treatment, including:

Soft Tissue Mobilization

Soft tissue mobilization is the technique of administering pressure to the soft tissues of the body, such as the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The aim of soft tissue mobilization is to reduce pain, increase flexibility, and promote healing by encouraging the flow of blood. This can be done using various techniques including massage, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization.

During soft tissue mobilization, the therapist administering pressure and stretches the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in a particular manner to break up scar tissue, release trigger points, and improve blood flow. Soft tissue mobilization is commonly used to treat conditions such as sports injuries, chronic pain, back and neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and plantar fasciitis. It is best when combined with other therapies to help patients recover quicker, safely, and effectively.

Joint Manipulation

Joint mobilization is a light technique in which the therapist applies controlled movements to the joint along its natural path. The goal of joint mobilization is to restore joint mobility and limit pain by passively stretching the joint capsule and surrounding soft tissues. Joint mobilization is often used for patients who have limited range of motion in a joint, and it is usually performed without causing any audible cracking sounds.

Joint Mobilization

Joint manipulation is on the other side of the spectrum, and is a high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) technique in which the physical therapist applies an abrupt and controlled force to the joint. The objective of joint manipulation is to reestablish a joint’s range of motion and reduce pain by realigning the joint and breaking up any restrictions. Joint manipulation can produce a perceptible popping or cracking sound, which is the rsult of the release of gas bubbles within the joint.

Joint manipulation is most commonly used for people who have acute joint pain, restricted joint mobility, or a joint that needs to be realigned. It is imperative that joint manipulation should only be performed by a physical therapist, as it can be associated with certain risks, such as injury or exacerbation of an existing condition.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a manual therapy technique that is used to treat myofascial pain and dysfunction. Fascia is a thin, tough, and elastic connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles, bones, and organs throughout the body. With myofascial release, your East St. Louis, IL physical therapist applies sustained pressure and stretching to the fascia and underlying muscle tissue to release tension and regain normal function. Myofascial release is can be part of a treatment plan for a wide variety of injuries and conditions, including chronic pain, headaches, neck and back pain, fibromyalgia, and TMJ.

During your session, the physical therapist applies mild to moderate, sustained pressure to specific areas of the body where there is restriction in the fascia. The pressure is applied gradually, allowing the fascia to lengthen and release. The therapist may also use stretching and other techniques to boost the benefits of the myofascial release.

Trigger Point Therapy

Trigger point therapy is a technique that involves applying pressure to specific points within a muscle or fascia that are giving the patients problems. The goal of trigger point therapy is to release painful knots in the muscles. It’s often used by East St. Louis, IL physical therapists to treat a wide range of conditions, including chronic pain, headaches, neck and back pain, fibromyalgia, and sports injuries.

During a trigger point therapy session, the therapist uses their hands or a specialized tool to apply direct pressure to the part of your muscle that is affecting you. The pressure is applied slowly and sustained for several seconds or longer, allowing the trigger point to release. The therapist may also use stretching and other techniques to improve the benefits of the trigger point therapy. In some cases, your physical therapist may advise trigger point dry needling.

How Manual Physical Therapy in East St. Louis, IL Can Help You

There are many benefits to manual physical therapy, including:

Reduced pain — Manual physical therapy can help feel better while you’re recovering. By reducing pain, patients have an improved quality of life and get back to activities they enjoy.
Increased mobility — By restoring normal function, manual physical therapy can help patients perform daily tasks and other activities more effectively. Improved mobility can also help in future injury prevention.
Improved bloodflow — Some manual therapy techniques, for instance soft tissue mobilization, can help boost circulation by increasing blood flow to the region.
Faster recovery — Manual physical therapy can help to promote healing and reduce inflammation, which can lead to a shorter recovery time. This can be especially advantageous for patients recovering from surgery or other medical procedures.
Improved posture — Manual therapy can offer you a better posture by releasing tension in the soft tissue that support the spine and other joints.
Improved mental health — Manual therapy can be a soothing experience, because it releases endorphins, the body’s own, homegrown feel-good hormone.
Improved quality of life — By reducing pain and improving mobility, manual physical therapy can help patients to enjoy a better quality of life overall. Patients can find relief because of less anxiety, better sleep, and improved mental health as a result of finally being able to get back to the activities they love.

Other services we offer in East St. Louis, IL include:

Manual Physical Therapy East St. Louis, IL | Chronic Pain Treatment | Physical Therapy Near East St. Louis

Manual Physical Therapy in East St. Louis, IL | Axes Physical Therapy

Manual physical therapy is a powerful and effective treatment option for a wide range of conditions and injuries in East St. Louis, IL. By using their hands to manipulate and mobilize certain parts of the body, physical therapists can help patients achieve optimal mobility and function without the need for invasive procedures or medications. At Axes, we provide positive client experiences by helping East St. Louis, IL residents return to what they enjoy the most with proven treatment modalities. To see if manual physical therapy may be right for you, contact us online or reach out to the location nearest you.

Manual Physical Therapy East St. Louis, IL