Manual therapy is a skill set that physiotherapists use to help improve range of movement, decrease pain and improve function. The methods by which this takes place is disputed in the literature. Some articles point to the neurophysiological effect that manual therapy has on ascending and descending pain pathways to the brain whereas other articles look at the more local effects of manual therapy on the local joint being worked on.
Whatever the mechanism, the use of manual therapy in injury treatment is common and extremely useful in addressing dysfunction in the musculoskeletal system. At SPARC, while we use manual therapy, our main aim is to restore function in a way that allows you to have an active role in making yourself better, and allowing you to manage your issue going forward.