Manual therapy
The hands-on part of physiotherapy: joints mobilised, soft tissue worked, movement restored by touch.
What it involves
Manual therapy covers the techniques a physiotherapist performs with their hands: mobilising stiff joints through their range, manipulation where it is appropriate, and soft-tissue work on muscles, tendons and fascia. It is precise work: the point is a specific joint or tissue, not a general rub-down.
What it is commonly used for
- Stiff, painful joints: neck, lower back, shoulders and ankles most often.
- Muscle tightness that keeps pulling a problem back after exercise alone.
- Restoring movement after injury or immobilisation, alongside a loading program.
Where it fits
Manual therapy usually gives symptom relief and a movement window; exercise therapy then builds the strength that keeps the change. Most plans use both. Whether manual techniques suit your problem is an assessment decision: some conditions respond well, others need a different approach, and your physiotherapist will say which is which.
General information, not a diagnosis: whether this treatment suits you is decided at your own assessment with a registered physiotherapist.