Manual Physical Therapy in Park Hills, MO | Injury and Chronic Pain Treatment

Manual Physical Therapy in Park Hills, MO: A Hands-On Treatment

Manual physical therapy in Park Hills, MO. Physical therapy is a medical are of expertise that focuses on the use of physical methods, such as exercise, stretching, and other treatments, to help patients regain optimal physical function. At Axes, our Park Hills, MO physical and occupational therapists return our clients to the things they enjoy doing most by using proven treatment methodologies. One such treatment method is manual therapy, in which your Axes physical therapist in Park Hills, MO uses their hands and specialized instruments to safely and effectively relieve pain and restore motion to your joints and muscles, tendons, and ligaments. If you’re suffering pain or mobility issues in Park Hills, MO that are keeping you from living the life you want, contact Axes online or get in touch with the location most convenient for you to find lasting relief.

What Is Manual Physical Therapy?

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 has been utilized for millennium to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries. Also called hands-on therapy, manual therapy is specialty within the practice of physical therapy. It’s a treatment methodology that involves the therapist using their hands to manipulate, mobilize, and massage the patient’s muscles, joints, and soft tissues. Doing this can help address numerous different conditions and injuries, including chronic pain, arthritis, muscle spasms, and more. It can help to promote blood flow and relearn how to move correctly, ultimately restoring function.

The goal of manual physical therapy is to help patients return to the activities they enjoy through non-surgical interventions that can be used alone or in concert with other techniques, such as exercise and stretching. Research demonstrates that a combination of manual physical therapy and other treatments, such as exercise prescription, typically gets better results than either treatment plan used independently. At Axes, our Park Hills, MO physical therapists exclusively utilize treatment plans that have been proven to work.

Manual Physical Therapy Park Hills, MO | Injury Recovery | Orthopedic Rehab Near Park Hills

What Injuries and Conditions Can Manual Physical Therapy Help With in Park Hills, MO

Manual physical therapy can be used to treat numerous different conditions and injuries. Below are some of the most common:

Back pain — Manual physical therapy can be effective in treating chronic low back pain, which up to 84%of American adults experience at some stage in their lives.
Neck pain — Manual physical therapy can also be used to treat neck pain, which may be the result of poor posture, stress, or injury.
Sports injuries — Those who play sports in Park Hills, MO who experience sports injuries including sprains, strains, and ACL tears can get back to the top of their game quicker through manual therapy.
Arthritis — Manual physical therapy can help manage the symptoms of arthritis, a degenerative condition used to describe a group of conditions that cause pain and inflammation in the joints. Manual Therapy can be used to reduce pain and stiffness in the joints, improve flexibility, and slow the progression of the disease.
Fibromyalgia — Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that causes pain throughout the body or at multiple sites.
Headaches — Manual physical therapy can also be great at treating headaches, including tension headaches and migraines.

These are just some of the many conditions and injuries that manual physical therapy can help treat. If you are experiencing pain or lack of motion, speak to an Axes Park Hills, MO physical therapist to find out if manual physical therapy can help you find relief. After one of our free injury screenings, we’ll work in concert with you and your physician to return you to the activities you enjoy doing most – safely and effectively.

Manual Techniques Our Park Hills, MO Physical Therapists Use

There are several different types of manual physical therapy techniques that a therapist in Park Hills, MO may recommend for your treatment, for example:

Soft Tissue Mobilization

Soft tissue mobilization is the technique of exerting pressure to the soft tissues of the body, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The objective of soft tissue mobilization is to alleviate pain, increase flexibility, and promote healing by breaking down scar tissue. This can be accomplished using various techniques such as massage therapy, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization.

During soft tissue mobilization, the therapist exerts pressure and elongates the soft tissues in a specific manner to break up adhesions, release trigger points, and improve circulation. Soft tissue mobilization is often used to aid conditions such as sports injuries, chronic pain, back and neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and plantar fasciitis. It is often 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 slow movements to the joint along its natural path. The goal of joint mobilization is to restore joint mobility and offer pain relief by passively stretching the joint capsule and surrounding soft tissues. Joint mobilization is a manual physical therapy technique that can help 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, on the other hand, is a high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) technique that involves a sudden and controlled force to the joint. The aim of joint manipulation is to reestablish a joint’s range of motion and reduce pain by realigning the joint and breaking up any adhesions. Joint manipulation can produce an audible popping or cracking sound due to the release of gas bubbles within the joint.

Joint manipulation is commonly used for patients who have acute joint pain, limited joint mobility, or a joint that needs to be realigned. It is imperative that joint manipulation should only be carried out by qualified healthcare professional, as it can be associated with certain risks, such as injury or making the current injury worse.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a kind of physical therapy treatment that is used to treat myofascial pain and dysfunction. Fascia is a thin, tough, and elastic connective tissue that serves to cushion the body’s internal organs, as well as providing structural support and facilitating movement. Myofascial release works by applying sustained pressure and stretching to the fascia and underlying muscle tissue to release tension and restore normal movement. 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 gentle, sustained pressure to specific areas of the body where there is tension in the fascia. The pressure is applied gradually, allowing the fascia to elongate and release. The therapist may also use stretching and other techniques to enhance the effects of the myofascial release.

Trigger Point Therapy

Trigger point therapy is a technique that involves applying pressure to particular points within a muscle or fascia that are tender or painful. The objective of trigger point therapy is to release painful knots in the muscles. It’s often used by Park Hills, MO physical therapists to treat a wide range of conditions, including chronic pain, headaches, neck and back pain, fibromyalgia, and sports injuries.

During your trigger point therapy session, the therapist uses their hands or a specialized tool to apply direct pressure to the part of your short tissue that is affecting you. The pressure is applied gradually 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 effects of the trigger point therapy. In some cases, your physical therapist may advise trigger point dry needling.

How Manual Physical Therapy in Park Hills, MO Can Help You

Manual physical therapy can do wonders for your body and lifestyle, including:

Decreased pain — Manual physical therapy can help feel better during your treatment plan. By reducing pain, patients can experience an improved quality of life and can start getting their lifestyle back sooner.
Enhanced mobility — By regaining movement and function to the body, manual physical therapy can help patients perform daily tasks and other activities more effectively. Improved mobility can also reduce the likelihood of falls and other injuries.
Improved bloodflow — Some manual therapy techniques, such as soft tissue mobilization, can help boost circulation by encouraging blood flow to the affected area.
Faster recovery — Manual physical therapy can help to promote healing and reduce inflammation, which can make your recovery faster. This can be particularly great for patients recovering from surgery or other invasive procedures.
Improved posture — Manual therapy can help improve posture by properly aligning your muscles and joints and soothing over affected tissue.
Reduced anxiety — Manual therapy can be a soothing experience, because it releases endorphins, the body’s own, homegrown feel-good hormone.
Improved quality of life — With all the above benefits in place, manual physical therapy can help patients to enjoy a better quality of life overall. Patients can find relief because of less stress, 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 Park Hills, MO include:

Manual Physical Therapy Park Hills, MO | Chronic Pain Treatment | Physical Therapy Near Park Hills

Manual Physical Therapy in Park Hills, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Manual physical therapy is a proven and effective treatment option for a wide range of conditions and injuries in Park Hills, MO. By using their hands to manipulate and mobilize certain parts of the body, physical therapists can help patients achieve optimal health and function without the need for invasive procedures or medications. At Axes, we focus on giving our patients positive client experiences by helping Park Hills, MO residents return to what they enjoy the most with evidence-backed treatment modalities. To learn more about what Axes can do for you, contact us online or call the location nearest you.