Many people, when asked about Physical Therapy, will describe a gym with patients exercising after a sports injury or rehabilitation following surgery, but most people do not realize there is a manual component to Physical Therapy as well. When individualized, prescribed exercise is an important aspect of Physical Therapy, while hands-on manual therapy has been shown to be a valuable tool in relieving acute and chronic pain. Manual physical therapy utilizes hands, not machines, to mobilize muscle tissue and joints. There are various techniques that are used, such as myofascial release, joint mobilization, spinal manipulation, craniosacral therapy, lymph drainage, neural mobilization, to name a few.
