Have you been getting physical therapy or chiropractic care that involves manual therapy? If so, then it is important to know what the benefits of manual therapy really are. Manipulating your body with the hands allow for you to feel the direct results, as well as the therapist to feel any abnormalities. It can help improve how you heal and it can give you more relief from pain. To find out more about manual therapy, it may be best to ask the experts at A Family Chiropractic Clinic what benefits your situation could receive.
What is Manual Therapy?
When a therapist uses manual therapy, it means they are manually manipulating your muscles and your joints. This is meant to help improve blood flow to the area, which can also improve healing. The movements increase how much oxygen is sent to the area, which allows you to get to where your pain and inflammation are less. Each manipulation is meant to either increase flexibility, healing, or mobility, or to decrease your pain. Some of the manipulations are quick, while others are slow. The type of manual therapy that is used depends on what your specific needs are.
What Types of Manual Therapy Are Available?
There are three basic types of manual therapy. The first is manipulation, where your therapist manually manipulates the different areas of your body that are in pain. This can be your muscles, bones, joints, or even connective tissues. They move the areas around quickly, in an attempt to remove whatever may be in the way that is causing you pain. The second is mobilization, where your therapist tries to stretch out the joints within your body. This type of therapy is typically focused on the joints over the bones and connective tissues. Finally, there is massage, where your therapist uses their hands to try and help you feel better. This can be by slowly rubbing your body, kneading a muscle, or pushing to move around the fluid in your muscles.
Who Uses Manual Therapy?
There are quite a few professionals who turn to manual therapy as a way of helping their clients. Massage therapists often manipulate your entire body manually, making nearly everything they do fall under this type of therapy. They want to help your body move more easily, and with less pain. Physical therapists are also known to use manual manipulations. They help move different parts of your body in an attempt to build up strength and heal any damage that was done.
Chiropractors also use manual therapy to help manipulate the backs and joints of their patients. Through manually moving the different parts of your body around, your chiropractor can feel where issues may be, and can help to improve the healing that you get out of your body. Physiotherapists also manually move your body around in an attempt to help you heal. They often help after an injury of a repetitive or sports nature.
What Benefits Come from Manual Therapy?
There are many benefits that come along with manual therapy. The most common benefit people talk about is increased mobility. This can be due to less pain, less inflammation and swelling, or increased stability in the joint. Manual therapy allows for the tissues of your body to be repaired, when it is done properly. This helps you heal from injuries, repetitive movements, and even problems associated with not moving around enough.
It can be difficult to move around when your body hurts. However, just sitting there isn’t going to necessarily help all injuries heal, either. You need to follow the instructions given by your therapist on how to best help your body recuperate. The more you are able to follow their instructions, the easier moving is going to be, and the less pain you will be in. Recovery is going to involve you getting manual therapy, plus following your limitations and expectations. If you can accomplish that, you will be back to feeling better in no time.
Getting Professional Manual Therapy Can Help Your Body Feel Better
The expertly trained professionals at A Family Chiropractic Clinic can help you find many of these benefits. Instead of allowing your body to continue forward at its own pace, find out what you can do to help it along. By opting to have manual therapy as a part of your recovery, you can feel better, sooner, and have effects that last longer. Don’t hesitate to reach out to people who know how to help you increase your mobility and quality of life. They can make a significant difference in how you go about your life.
