Manual Therapy
Astym® treatment is a therapy that regenerates healthy soft tissues (muscles, tendons, etc.), and eliminates or reduces unwanted scar tissue that may be causing pain or movement restrictions. One of the main reasons Astym® treatment is so much more effective than other treatments is that it was scientifically developed to resolve the underlying cause of soft tissue problems, rather than just trying to temporarily relieve symptoms. It is one of the most researched and effective therapy treatments available. Astym® treatment is used to resolve tendinopathies, scar tissue problems, and other soft tissue dysfunctions. See www.astym.com for more information.
Dry Needling is a term for a therapeutic treatment procedure that involves multiple advances of a filament needle into the muscle in an area of the body which produces pain or is the origin of a referred pain. These areas typically contain a ‘Trigger Point’. There is no injectable solution and the needle which is used is very thin.
Dry needling is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain, rehabilitation from injury, and even pain and injury prevention, with very few side effects. This technique is unequaled in finding and eliminating neuromuscular dysfunction that leads to pain and functional deficits.
Our staff is trained through Kinetacore and MS Dry Needling.
Kinetacore: https://www.kinetacore.com
MS Dry Needling: https://www.msdryneedling.com/
Myofascial Decompression (or Cupping) is a therapy which helps with musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. The therapy utilizes suction to create a vacuum between the skin and underlying tissues by way of a process that is the reverse of massage therapy. Myofascial Cupping has been around since the early 19th century but only recently has the image of purple circles on professional athlete’s backs created attention to an ancient myofascial therapy. The cups and techniques have changed over time, but the basic premise of the cups providing suction to decompress the underlying tissue remains the same.
Joint mobilization is a manual therapy intervention, a type of passive movement of a skeletal joint. It is usually aimed at a ‘target’ synovial joint with the aim of achieving a therapeutic effect.
Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is a form of a manual therapy which uses a muscle’s own energy in the form of gentle isometric contractions to relax the muscles via autogenic or reciprocal inhibition, and lengthen the muscle. As compared to static stretching which is a passive technique in which therapist does all the work, MET is an active technique in which patient is also an active participant. MET can be used for any condition in which the goal is to cause relaxation and lengthening of the muscles and improve range of motion (ROM) in joints. Muscle energy techniques can be applied safely to almost any joint in the body.
Soft tissue mobilization is a form of manual physical therapy where your licensed PT uses hands-on techniques on your muscles, ligaments and fascia in order to break adhesions and optimize your muscle function.
Stretching exercises can be done passively in the rehabilitative setting when an individual has limitations (such as post surgery) and is unable to perform the stretch himself. It is important that this specific type of stretching be done under the direction of a physical therapist. Additionally, manual stretching may be performed to more effectively stretch a muscle or fascia in order to gain motion in a restricted area.
