Manual Physical Therapy in St. Peters, MO: A Hands-On Approach to Care

Manual physical therapy in St. Peters, MO. Physical therapy is a healthcare profession that focuses on the use of physical methods, such as exercise, manual therapy, and other techniques, to treat physical impairments, disabilities, and pain. At Axes, our St. Peters, MO physical and occupational therapists get our patients back to the things they enjoy doing most by using treatments that are backed by evidence to work. One such treatment method is manual therapy, in which your Axes physical therapist in St. Peters, MO 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 an illness or injury in St. Peters, MO that’s keeping you from living the life you want, contact Axes through our website or call the location most convenient for you to get back to the life you want.

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 ailments. Also referred to as hands-on therapy, manual therapy is specialty within the practice of physical therapy. It’s a treatment methodology in which the physical therapists utilizes 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, back and neck pain, sports injuries, and more. It can help to promote blood flow and relearn how to move correctly, ultimately restoring function.

The aim of manual physical therapy is to help patients regain optimal health and function through non-invasive treatments that can be used alone or in concert with other techniques, such as guided exercise. Research demonstrates that a combination of manual physical therapy and other treatments, such as exercise prescription, typically gets better results than either therapy used on its own. At Axes, our St. Peters, MO physical therapists only use treatment plans that are backed by evidence.

What Injuries and Conditions Can Manual Physical Therapy Help With in St. Peters, MO

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

• Back pain — Manual physical therapy has been proven to relieve chronic low back pain, which up to 84%of American adults experience at some point in their lifetime.
• Neck pain — Manual physical therapy can also help patients with neck pain, which can be caused by poor posture, stress, or an acute injury.
• Sports injuries — Those who play sports in St. Peters, MO who suffer from sports injuries including sprains, strains, and ACL tears can get back to peak performance quicker with the help of manual therapy.
• Arthritis — Manual physical therapy can be used to treat arthritis, a degenerative condition caused by the breakdown of cartilage in joints. Manual Therapy is a great way to reduce pain and stiffness in the joints, improve range of motion, and impede the disease from progressing further.
• Fibromyalgia — Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that causes pain throughout the body or at multiple sites.
• Headaches — Manual physical therapy can also be great at relieving headaches, including tension headaches and migraines.

These are just a few of the many conditions and injuries that manual physical therapy can provide lasting relief for. If you are experiencing pain or tenderness, reach out to an Axes St. Peters, MO physical therapist to find out if manual physical therapy can help you find relief. After you come to any of our locations for a free free injury screenings, we’ll form a team with you and your physician to return you to the activities you love most with techniques that have been proven to work.

Manual Techniques Our St. Peters, MO Physical Therapists Utilize

There are many different types of manual physical therapy techniques that a therapist in St. Peters, MO may recommend for your treatment, such as:

Soft Tissue Mobilization

Soft tissue mobilization involves 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 range of motion, and promote healing by encouraging the flow of blood. This can be accomplished using various techniques including massage therapy, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization.

During soft tissue mobilization, the therapist exerts pressure and smooths out the soft tissues in a specific manner to break up scar tissue, release trigger points, and improve blood flow. Soft tissue mobilization is commonly used to aid conditions such as sports injuries, chronic pain, back and neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and plantar fasciitis. It is best when used alongside other therapies to help patients achieve optimal results.

Joint Manipulation

Joint mobilization is a light technique in which the therapist utilized slow movements to the joint within its natural range of movement. The goal of joint mobilization is to restore joint mobility and offer pain relief by gently 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 there typically isn’t 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 a sudden and controlled force to the joint. The aim of joint manipulation is to regain joint mobility and reduce pain by realigning the joint and breaking up any restrictions. Joint manipulation often produces an audible popping or cracking sound due to the release of gas bubbles within the joint.

Joint manipulation is commonly used for people who have acute joint pain, limited joint mobility, or a joint that is out of alignment. It is important to note that joint manipulation should only be done by medical professional who has experience with it, as it does carry certain risks, like 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 band or sheet of connective tissue that serves to protect 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 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 a myofascial release 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 stretch and release. The therapist may also use stretching and other techniques to boost the effects of the myofascial release.

Trigger Point Therapy

Trigger point therapy works by applying pressure to certain points within a muscle or fascia that are giving the patients problems. The objective of trigger point therapy is to release tension and reduce pain in the affected area. It’s often used by St. Peters, MO physical therapists to treat a variety 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 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 effects of the trigger point therapy. Occasionally, your physical therapist may advise trigger point dry needling.

Benefits of Manual Physical Therapy in St. Peters, MO

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

• Decreased pain — Manual physical therapy can help feel less pain while you’re recovering. By reducing pain, patients have an improved quality of life and get back to activities they enjoy.
• Increased mobility — By regaining 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, such as soft tissue mobilization, can help improve circulation by increasing blood flow to the affected body part.
• Faster recovery — Manual physical therapy can help to promote healing and reduce inflammation, which can speed up the recovery process. This can be particularly great for patients who recently had surgery or other invasive procedures.
• Improved posture — Manual therapy can offer you a better posture by properly aligning your muscles and joints and soothing over affected tissue.
• Reduced stress — Manual therapy can be a calming experience, as it releases endorphins, which naturally reduces stress and improves mental health.
• Better quality of life — With all the previous benefits in place, manual physical therapy can help patients to enjoy a better quality of life overall. Patients may find relief because of less stress, better sleep, and improved mental health as a result of finally being able to get back to the things they enjoy the most.

Other services we offer in St. Peters, MO include:

• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Services
• TMJ Treatment
• Herniated Disc Treatment
• Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment

Manual Physical Therapy in St. Peters, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Manual physical therapy is a proven and safe approach to treating a wide range of conditions and injuries in St. Peters, 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 provide positive client experiences by helping St. Peters, MO 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 through our website or call the location most convenient to you.