Manual Therapy: Your First Tools
Any time I go on one of my social media accounts, I’m quickly inundated by social media ads and posts of the latest and greatest exercises where we see high-level athletes/patients completing these incredible activities. They often involve using the newest equipment out there that may cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Some of these are worth looking into, but many of them are quick fads. Don’t get me wrong, I have taken many continuing education courses with other companies and try to have as many tools in my toolbox as possible. But, my first tools that I can always use are my hands along with my brain (though my wife may beg to differ about the brain part 😉).
At Great Lakes Seminars, we focus on manual therapy, but this is truly the first tool to combat a patient’s symptoms to restructure their neuromuscular system through correcting and then retraining prior to progressing with exercise. There are many schools of thought out there. Some say manual therapy can be the miraculous cure for patients, while others may be exercise focused and don’t believe manual therapy is anything besides a placebo. While I have friends on both sides of this argument, I tend to fall somewhere in the middle where I believe both are crucial to an all-around therapy program.
Balancing Manual Therapy and Exercise
Correcting pelvic alignment, improving the joint mobility of the talocrural joint into dorsiflexion with a posterior distal fibula mobilization, or improving external rotation of the shoulder by improving posterior glide of the humerus to reset normal posture can each have their benefit on regaining a neutral norm prior to retraining through exercise. I will also include surrounding soft tissue releases with trigger point and myofascial release. Each of these also require zero equipment for a cost-effective solution. We can then help supplement these activities through use of soft tissue tools such as cupping, IASTM, dry needling, or even exercise with blood flow restriction, but it all starts with resetting the system through manual therapy.
One of my jobs is working with a summer collegiate soccer club and I can often be found completing these manual therapy techniques on the sideline whether it be on a portable massage table, or even the turf. We run a low-cost program and manual therapy has been a crucial aspect of our rehabilitation programming. I can then provide high-level exercise through bodyweight exercise and load programming once we ensure their system is reset and motor control is improving. This allows me key time with my athletes to get a better understanding of their symptoms while calming and correcting their musculoskeletal and neuromuscular symptoms. This is all done with a zero equipment and zero cost solution besides my time and effort.
Closing Thoughts
Physical therapy and athletic training have advanced incredible amounts over the past few decades and I am very proud to be a part of these fields. We have tools that therapists 50 years ago never would have even imagined. But we have also found ways to make an impact on our patients’ lives through advancement of therapy with our original tools, our hands.
Questions? Check out these FAQs!
Manual therapy is a hands-on approach used by physical therapists to assess and treat musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. It includes techniques like joint mobilization, soft tissue release, and myofascial work to restore movement, reduce pain, and improve function.
At Great Lakes Seminars, we believe manual therapy is the foundation of effective treatment. Before progressing to strengthening or advanced exercise, it’s crucial to correct dysfunctions in the joint, muscle, or fascia. Manual therapy helps “reset the system,” creating a better foundation for retraining and strengthening.
Manual therapy can make a big difference, but it’s most effective when combined with exercise and neuromuscular retraining. Once a therapist restores proper mobility and reduces pain, exercise helps reinforce and maintain those improvements through strength and motor control.
Almost all of our courses are manual therapy-based, it is the backbone of what we do! Our courses focus on hands-on learning — 75% lab and 25% lecture — so therapists gain confidence using manual therapy techniques right away. We emphasize understanding the “why” behind each technique, integrating manual skills with neuromuscular reeducation for practical, real-world application.
Great Lakes Seminars offers a wide range of manual therapy courses for all experience levels. Explore our courses here: https://glseminars.com/courses/ or contact us at info@glseminars.com to find the best fit for your goals as a clinician.
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