Manual Therapy — Getting You Better, Faster
At Therapeutic Associates, we believe that patient outcomes are better when physical therapists have additional training in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy. Human touch is an essential ingredient in our treatment philosophy and approach, and for good reason. Patients respond positively to hands-on work when combined with exercise and education. Additionally, manual therapy leads to constant re-evaluation of progress and treatment tolerance. This leads to faster recovery and reduced out-of-pocket expense.
The term “manual therapy” refers to hands-on treatment of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It is aimed at decreasing pain and increasing function. Our physical therapists are highly trained in a wide range of sophisticated manual-therapy techniques that can be highly individualized to meet unique patient needs and include mobilizations or manipulations of soft tissue and skeletal joints. While manual therapy is not always applicable to patient care, studies show better patient outcomes when PTs have manual therapy training.
In Support of Manual Therapy
We are dedicated to providing the best possible care to each of our patients. We continually strive to enhance our level of care by supporting our physical therapists in their continuing education, training and certification, which ensures they remain on the leading edge of treatment methods and clinical excellence. Physical therapists may become certified in manual therapy by enrolling in 3-4 year post-graduate level course work and clinical experiences. Most of our PTs receive training through the North American Institute of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy (NAIOMT). Several Therapeutic Associates’ physical therapists serve as faculty and clinical instructors for NAIOMT.
- Interactive Mentorship
TAI offers clinical mentorship opportunities in general orthopaedic and manual orthopaedic physical therapy. TAI has its own Orthopaedic Residency Program and provides mentorship for OMT Fellowship programs.
- Residency
TAI’s Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency program helps clinicians become orthopaedic clinical specialists. The program may also be used to prepare physical therapists for eventual orthopaedic manual therapy fellowship.
Did You Know?
Research has shown that patients who received physical therapy within 16 days after an accident or injury have a faster recovery and greater improvement in pain reduction and functional return. Don’t wait to seek care; act today!
