One type of physical therapy you may have heard about is manual therapy. This physical therapy method is used to treat many types of injuries and medical issues, but you may not know much about it or the benefits it can provide. Most importantly, you may not know where to find effective manual therapy in El Paso, Texas.
What is manual therapy?
While it sounds like a single type of physical therapy, manual therapy is actually a category that contains many therapy methods. However, the common characteristic all therapies in this category share is that they involve the therapists using their hands.
For instance, joint mobilization is a manual therapy where the therapist uses their hands to move your joints in certain ways. Typically, the force for these movements is provided by the therapist’s hands. This ensures that the movements won’t take the joint beyond its normal range of motion.
Manual therapy methods are also used to help muscles that support your joints. For example, muscle energy techniques help lengthen muscles that are short and tight. This is done by having the patient contract the muscle naturally. Once the muscle is contracted, the therapist applies a controlled counterforce that stretches the tight muscle.
Some benefits of manual therapy
One reason manual therapy is so popular with patients and physical therapists is it offers many benefits. For one thing, manual therapy methods are used with the intention of reducing joint and muscle pain. They can also help improve joint range of motion and mobility. Many of these methods can help decrease inflammation in joints and the surrounding soft tissue. Furthermore, manual therapy methods can help reduce fluid buildup, or edema, that’s common with certain joint issues.
Where can you find manual therapy in El Paso, TX?
Border Therapy Services has seven clinics located in the greater El Paso area, and this includes a clinic in the Edgemere Boulevard area. Among the many services our clinics offer, manual therapy is one that we use a lot. We also offer many types of manual therapy, including:
- Joint mobilization
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Strain-counterstrain
- High velocity, low amplitude thrusting
- Muscle energy techniques
Using these manual therapy methods and other therapy options, our Border Therapy Services team can help you treat many conditions and injuries. Take the next step to find out if manual therapy can help you.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.