Manual Therapy

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Manual therapy techniques are skilled hand movements and skilled passive movements of joints and soft tissue and are intended to improve:

• tissue extensibility
• increase range of motion
• induce relaxation
• mobilize or manipulate soft tissue and joints
• modulate pain
• reduce soft tissue swelling, inflammation, or restriction

Occupational therapists implement manual therapy techniques when the examination findings, diagnosis, and prognosis indicate use of these techniques to decrease:

• edema
• pain
• spasm or swelling
• enhance health, wellness and fitness
• enhance or maintain physical performance
• increase the ability to move
• prevent or remediate impairment in body functions and structures
• prevent or remediate activity limitations
• prevent or remediate participation restrictions to improve physical function

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Soft Tissue Mobilization/Massage (STM)

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Soft Tissue Mobilization (STM) is defined as the hands-on mobilization of soft tissues, (i.e., muscle and associated connective tissues that supports it) tendons (muscle to bone connections) and ligaments (bone-to bone connections). STM is performed on a patient for the purposes of producing beneficial effects on the

• nervous
• muscular
• lymph; and
• circulatory systems

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Custom Molded Orthosis

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A rigid or semi-rigid device that is precisely made to support a weak or deformed body part, or restricts or eliminates motion in a injured part of the body.

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