Manual therapy is a recognized method of physiotherapy - the therapist presses the appropriate points on the body, reaches the painful areas and restores the muscle balance. Manual therapy is a form of massage used to treat spine and joint ailments. What are the indications and contraindications for using this rehabilitation method?

Manual therapyfor hundreds of years was used only by healers - today thismethod of rehabilitationis recognized by academic medicine, and training in therapy manual training are held in Poland as postgraduate training for physiotherapists and doctors.

Manual therapy allows you to heal spine ailments, joint degeneration and injuries, muscle aches, headaches, and tension resulting from stress and exhaustion.

- Actually, manual therapy is an action on the joints. However, because bones, muscles, ligaments and joints form a coherent whole, during the massage we compress all soft tissues: skin, muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons - explains the therapist Andrzej Wosik.

When something happens to a joint, the nerves surrounding the joint capsule transmit a signal to the central nervous system, and pain occurs. The body reacts to it with muscle tension. There is a blockage that increases the pain. It's a vicious circle. The aim of the procedure is to unblock the muscle first, and then the joint. You compress, knead and stretch the sore area at different angles, and when a properly heated muscle is unblocked, the joint moves itself into the correct position.

Manual therapy - beyond the pain limit

- We do not do anything by force - says Andrzej. - Of course, you can set the pond in one move, but why expose the patient to stress? The same can be achieved with more gentle methods. In manual therapy, the pressure is so strong that it would be difficult for a person to endure it under other circumstances. But here, thanks to the use of other methods - e.g. Eastern relaxation techniques - the patient does not feel pain so much.

Manual therapy is similar to Japanese shiatsu massage. However, while in shiatsu, strictly defined points on the meridians are pressed (in eastern medicine - channels through which energy flows), here the masseur finds blocked places himself.

Barbara Budyn has been dealing with manual therapy for several years. - The main tool of the therapist's work are the hands - he explains. - By touching, I feel the tension in my skin and muscles. Sometimes it is enough to just look at the skin to read a lot of information about the patient's he alth.

Barbara and Andrzej studied with Ukrainian therapists, but developed their own, slightly gentler method. - The therapists there act quickly and quite violently. First, I touch it gently, check the skin tension, observe the patient's reactions. I try to make him relaxed, and only then I start the proper therapy - explains Andrzej.

Manual therapy - get to the sources

The therapy can bring relief even during severe pain (e.g. migraine). Usually, after the first, 30-minute treatment, the patient feels better, and after a few, a significant improvement occurs. - If this does not happen, it means that the pain is not caused by ailments of the joints or the spine - the therapists explain. - We recommend that you visit a doctor and carry out thorough examinations. Working with a patient begins with an interview. They both spend a lot of time on it. Maybe that is why they often manage to reach where the doctor does not reach - to the cause of the ailments.

- We look at a human being as a whole. We treat it with respect and we take care of it. We make her feel safe and open up to us - Basia and Andrzej explain. - That's why we talk about therapy, not massage. Usually, we get people who have already been somewhere, but have not received any help. They expect compassion and understanding. The very fact that we can devote more time to a person than the doctor in the clinic is of great importance. During the procedure, we talk to the patient and listen to their problems with understanding.

Important

Manual therapyis a physiotherapy technique that supports the treatment of locomotor organs, in particular the spine and joints. Through pressure, grips and various massage techniques, the therapist reaches the sick places. The aim of the therapy is to relieve pain and restore normal mobility in blocked parts of the spine or joints. Manual therapy is a safe massage method. Some exercises can be performed by the patient at home.

Treatment methods are chosen by the therapist, depending on whether the patient's problem is a nerve, joint, muscle or ligament. Can apply:

  • mobilization, that is, influence the joints to increase their mobility
  • neuromobilization, i.e. affecting the nerves
  • manipulation for quick activation of the joint (with its use, the patient often hears a click orcrunch in the pond)
  • massage
  • stretching

In addition to manual therapy, a he althy lifestyle is important

Manual therapy uses the natural possibilities of our body. Compressing the blocked points is to stimulate the body to defend itself. The therapist can help and provide the body with an appropriate impulse. The rest is up to the patient.

- We always recommend doing isometric exercises at home and we show you how to do them - says Basia. - Unfortunately, not all follow these recommendations. And the patient's independent work is of great importance in diseases of the joints and spine! Because you need to strengthen the muscular corset and relieve the spine. It is equally important to take care of yourself: avoid alcohol, not smoke, and eat a proper diet. People forget that without changing lifestyle, no therapy will have lasting results. Especially men take it lightly. They want to be tough. When something hurts, they take a pill and believe that it will pass by itself. When they choose therapy, more time is needed to help them effectively. I see women more often in my office.

Manual therapy: indications

  • joint and spine pain syndromes
  • headaches, including migraines
  • numbness in limbs and fingers
  • discopathy
  • neuralgia
  • bad posture
  • neck tension
  • states of tension and fatigue

Manual therapy: contraindications

  • bone tuberculosis
  • fractures
  • cracks
  • advanced osteoporosis

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