Manual Therapy

 If you have either sudden or ongoing pain in your spine, neck, shoulder, foot/ankle or knee, you can benefit from manual therapy. It helps muscles relax, breaks up scar tissue and improves flexibility. Manual therapy can also increase your joint movement where a range of motion has been previously restricted, and reduce painful muscle spasms.

Manual therapy is an effective technique for increasing circulation of oxygen in the bloodstream, which produces a feeling of calm and relaxation.

Manual therapy refers to the assessment and treatment of neurological, cardio-respiratory and orthopedic problems through the use of hands-on techniques like manipulation and mobilization. These techniques are used to reduce pain, increase range of motion, reduce or eliminate inflammation and facilitate the ease of movement. Physical therapists focus on the nerves, soft tissues and connective tissue (fascia), and/or on enhancing joint movement beyond its range of motion with the use of high velocity, low amplitude force. Manual therapy can also involve prescribed exercises.

Orthopedic manual physical therapists treat acute and chronic pain conditions affecting all areas of the body. When injury causes soft-tissue and joint restrictions that produce pain during movement, manual therapy can improve mobility, reduce pain, and restore normal functioning of the soft-tissues and joints.

Benefits of Manual therapy:

·         Manage pain: Chronic pain can be one of the most frustrating conditions to experience, especially if the underlying cause is unknown. However, physical therapy techniques and therapeutic exercises can help mobilize your joints and soft tissue and restore muscle function, reducing aches or eliminating pain altogether. And when patients continue to perform the prescribed physical exercises regularly, it can keep the pain from returning.

·         Avoid surgery: While surgery is unavoidable in some cases, physical therapy can help avoid surgery for others. By eliminating pain, assisting with healing, and improving physical health, physical therapy can help heal injured tissue and facilitate mobility all on its own, thus eliminating the need to go under the knife. And in case you’ve already had surgery, PT can get you into good shape and help you recover faster.

·         Prevent injuries: One of the key aspects of physical therapy involves assessing the weak areas in the patient’s body, and formulating a PT plan that helps strengthen these vulnerable points. By recognizing the areas of muscular or skeletal weakness, a physical therapist can analyze how likely it is that a patient will suffer injury, and create an exercise regimen that targets and strengthens weak muscle groups and joints, thus preventing future injuries in these areas.

·         Improve mobility and balance: Often, after a serious injury or a big surgery, it can be hard for patients to get back on their feet. Mobility can be restricted and simple activities like writing, eating, or balancing the body can prove to be a challenge. This is when physical therapy comes in handy. Therapeutic exercises can restore mobility, make walking and moving around safer, and can even improve coordination and balance in patients who are at high risk for falls.

·         Tackle general health issues: One of the less obvious advantages of physical therapy is that it helps handle and manage many age-related health problems including joint pains, arthritis, and osteoporosis. PT is a safer and more conservative approach for older patients, as it gives them a less traumatic alternative than undergoing joint replacement surgery. Physical therapy benefits have also proven to be effective for patients suffering from cardiac issues, as it improves cardiovascular function.

·         Manage age related issues: Many times as an individual ages throughout their life, many people may develop arthritis and osteoporosis. Physical therapy can help alleviate the pain and help recover from for example getting a knee, hip or joint replacement. Another benefit of physical therapy is that it can help manage arthritis and osteoporosis.

·         Maximize your movement: Physical therapists are able to identify, diagnose and treat movement related issues. Each treatment plan is custom designed for each person's individual challenges and outcome goals. The benefit of physical therapy can help you live pain free and increase your quality of life. Your physical therapist also should work collaboratively with the patient.

·         Avoid dependence in pain medication: Often when someone goes through surgery, there can be long term pain issues that need to be addressed. To reduce the risk of dependence on pain medication (mainly opioids), physical therapy is often a great safe alternative choice to address the pain issues from surgery. Even the CDC (center for disease prevention and control) recommends using physical therapy instead of pain medications like opioids.

·          Regain original capabilities: Many times as part of the healing process through physical therapy one is able to regain capabilities that were once lost. Although this does not happen quickly, after a few years of physical therapy under the supervision of an expert physical therapist. In addition, physical therapy is great because it helps not just regain original capabilities but because it will help significantly improve the overall fitness and health of a patient.

Why physical therapy is important?

Because physical therapy is not merely an alternative course of treatment; it offers varied benefits for people from all walks of life, right from athletes and sportspersons to people suffering from a range of health issues.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is a treatment approach which is considered a mainstream treatment option, this form of therapy involves hands-on techniques to increase circulation, relieve tension, reduce stress, relieve anxiety, improve sleep, and promote relaxation throughout the entire body, as well as many other benefits. The body’s soft tissue areas include the muscles, tendons, connective tissue, etc. If someone is tense and in need of a release, or they have been injured and have extensive muscle and/or nerve tissue damage that plagues their body, massage therapy might be worth exploring. Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It may range from light stroking to deep pressure. 

Benefits of Massage Therapy:

1. It Is Relaxing – When the body is tense and under stress, it produces unhealthy levels of the well-known stress hormone, cortisol, which can contribute to weight gain, sleeplessness, digestive problems, and headaches. Massage therapy has been shown to decrease cortisol levels in the body. This enables the body to enter a recovery mode. Moreover, this form of therapy also triggers lasting feelings of relaxation, improved mood, and reduced stress levels.

2. It Reduces Stress – Not only can massage therapy help with stress relief, but regular massage sessions over a prolonged period of time can boost energy levels, reduce pain, and stimulate individuals on physical as well as emotional levels.

3. It Can Help Lower Blood Pressure – Regular massage therapy sessions have been found to reduce blood pressure levels. In fact, some long-term studies have shown that a consistent massage program can reduce both systolic (upper number) and diastolic (lower number) blood pressure. In turn, lower blood pressure levels can also reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and/or kidney failure, as well as many other health issues.

4. It Promotes Muscle Relaxation – The purpose of massage therapy is to target the source of the body’s pain via eliminating tense muscles, increasing flexibility, and providing relaxation to the affected muscles as well as the body as a whole. Massage also promotes circulation to the affected or injured muscles, which increases nutrients and oxygen to the damaged tissues. In turn, this increased activity to the affected sites reduces stiffness and edema (swelling) in the muscles and joints, as well as increases flexibility to help reduce pain.

5. It Can Help Improve Circulation – The long-term benefits of massage therapy are not to be underestimated. Improved circulation is part of a snowball effect that occurs in the body as a result of receiving regular massage therapy on a consistent basis. This is because proper circulation brings damaged, stiff, and tense muscles the rich blood supply they need to promote healing.

Moreover, massage also promotes improved circulation via the use of hands-on pressure, which moves the blood through the damaged and congested areas of the body. In turn, the release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow into tissues. Furthermore, the squeezing, twisting, and pulling action of the massage technique also removes lactic acid from the muscle tissues. As a result, this action improves the lymph fluid circulation, which carries metabolic waste products away from internal organs and muscles. In turn, this results in lower blood pressure levels and improved overall body function.

6. It Can Help Improve Posture – Many Americans experience back, neck, and muscle pain from a variety of sources. However, the primary cause of this pain results from poor posture. In fact, chronic back pain, which is the number one reason for missed work days and second most common cause of disability, is often the result of incorrect or poor posture while standing and/or sitting. Moreover, being overweight, poor posture, and repetitive or overuse movements can also contribute to the strain on the back and other potential problem areas. As a result, the added strain often causes spasms, pain, and tense muscles in the hips, glutes, back, neck, and legs.

Massage therapy can help get the body back into proper alignment.

7. It Can Help Strengthen the Body’s Immune System – Regular massage sessions provide many benefits to the human body. It is a well-known fact that individuals who experience high levels of stress are more vulnerable to illness and injury. When stress is combined with sleep disturbances and poor nutrition, the impact is directed at the body’s immune system. Its ability to naturally protect itself against infections, pathogens, and bacteria is greatly reduced. Some might wonder how massage therapy benefits the immune system. Studies have indicated that regular massage sessions not only help reduce stress, but can also boost the immune system’s cytotoxic capacity (activity level of the body’s natural “killer cells”) and enhances the body’s ability to deliver nourishment. Moreover, massage therapy can be a great addition to any exercise program. Much like regular exercise can keep the body fine-tuned, regular massage therapy can help keep the immune system strong and resilient. 

Also studies have found that massage is helpful for:

·         Anxiety.

·         Digestive disorders.

·         Fibromyalgia.

·         Headaches.

·         Insomnia related to stress.

·         Myofascial pain syndrome.

·         Soft tissue strains or injuries.

·         Sports injuries.

Cupping

A therapy in which glass cups are applied to the skin along the meridians of the body, creating suction and believed to stimulate the flow of energy. People use cupping therapy with the purpose of pulling toxins out of the body and thereby improving health, immunity, and performance.

Gentle pulling of tissue during cupping is a particularly relaxing sensation, making this an ideal treatment for stress, anxiety and high blood pressure. ANTI-AGING: Instead of expensive creams or face lifts, you can reduce wrinkles and rejuvenate your face with this all-natural treatment.

Benefits of Cupping:

• Relaxation: suction cups provide a negative pressure on the skin, muscles, and fascia. This is in contrast to the positive pressure of the deep tissue massage, and can be a very relaxing and soothing experience.
   
• Promotes blood circulation speeds up muscle recovery. The negative pressure from the suction allows new blood to flow into that area of tissue with several benefits -
  1. Provides a feeling of relief from physical and emotional tensions
  2. Begins the healing and regeneration process - the exchange of blood allows the removal of toxins and dead cells
  3. Enhances circulation
  4. Warms the skin, and softens tissues to regain elasticity
  5. Reduces inflammation