Most people don’t know that muscle pain and impaired movement typically respond well to a variety of manual therapy techniques under the care of a licensed physical therapist. Even physicians can pass over manual therapy treatment techniques in favor of pain medications or surgery.

Manual therapy treatment techniques are skilled interventions that stimulate muscles, connective tissues, and underlying myofascial trigger points. Myofascial trigger points are taught bands of skeletal muscle located within a larger muscle group. These taught bands, or “knots,” irritate nerves and may radiate pain to other areas. They may also impair movement.

Manual therapy treatment techniques.

Hands-on trigger point release is often adequate for treating most mild to moderate trigger point knots and bands.

Instrument assisted treatment uses specially shaped tools to stimulate the trigger point. Often used to break up scar tissue and provide additional stimulation not easily done by hand.