Manual Physical Therapy for Sports Injuries

What Is Manual Therapy?

Manual therapy involves specific hands-on techniques performed by a physical therapist to address pain, mobility restrictions, and movement limitations. Modern orthopedic manual physical therapy is considered a patient-centered approach that integrates hands-on treatment with exercise, education, and functional movement.

At Athletic Edge and Wellness, manual therapy may be incorporated when it can help you:

• Reduce pain and muscle tension

• Improve joint mobility

• Improve soft-tissue mobility

• Increase range of motion

• Restore normal movement

• Prepare the body for exercise and strengthening

• Improve your ability to perform functional or sport-specific activities

Manual Therapy Techniques We Use

Depending on your evaluation and treatment needs, manual therapy may include:

• Joint mobilization

• Soft tissue mobilization

• Myofascial techniques

• Muscle and fascial release

• Trigger point techniques

• Manual stretching

• Manual traction

• Other hands-on techniques selected based on your individual needs

Manual Therapy for Athletes

Athletes often need more than simply reducing pain. Treatment needs to address the movement demands of their sport. Manual therapy may be incorporated into sports physical therapy to help restore mobility and movement before progressing to strengthening, movement retraining, and sport-specific activities.

For overhead athletes, including baseball and softball players, treatment may address mobility and movement throughout the shoulder, thoracic spine, scapula, hips, and other areas of the kinetic chain. The goal is not simply to make an athlete feel better temporarily. The goal is to help restore the physical qualities needed to move, train, and perform.

Manual Therapy + Exercise

Manual therapy works best as part of a comprehensive physical therapy program.

Hands-on treatment may help improve symptoms or mobility, allowing you to move more effectively during your rehabilitation exercises. Your physical therapist can then use strengthening, mobility, movement training, and functional exercises to help build lasting capacity.

Research supports the use of manual therapy as part of a broader, clinically reasoned physical therapy approach, while evidence does not support treating manual therapy as a universal stand-alone solution.

Is Manual Therapy Right for You?

Your physical therapist will first evaluate your condition, movement, strength, mobility, and functional limitations. Based on that evaluation, manual therapy may be included when it is appropriate for your specific needs. Your treatment plan may also include therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular re-education, movement assessment, performance training, and sport-specific rehabilitation.