Ultrasound is a modality commonly employed in physical therapy and IPT is no different. Despite IPT being a clinic that focuses on manual therapy techniques and functional therapeutic exercise; IPT also makes use of modalities used to decrease inflammation and pain while promoting healing. Ultrasound is a modality that uses sound waves to improve cellular
Electric stimulation therapy is a therapeutic treatment that applies electrical stimulation to treating muscle spasms and pain. IPT uses interferential E-stim, neuro-muscular E-stim, and TENS units often in combination with moist heat packs. E-stim can improve circulation and blood flow to promote healing, block pain signals to the brain to decrease muscle spasms; as well
Spinal traction is a form of decompression therapy that relieves pressure on the spine. It can be performed manually or mechanically. Spinal traction is used to treat herniated discs, cervical radiculopathy, degenerative disc disease, pinched nerves, and many other spinal conditions. In manual spinal traction, a physical therapist uses their hands to put the spine
Strain Counterstrain technique was originally called positional release technique. It is an osteopathic manual therapy technique that uses passive body positioning of hypertonic (spasmed) muscles and dysfunctional joints toward positions of comfort or tissue ease that compress or shorten the offending muscle. The purpose of movement toward shortening is to relax aberrant reflexes that produce
Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately flexed or stretched in order to improve the muscle’s felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility, and range of motion. Manual therapy has been demonstrated to
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, or OMT, is a set of hands-on techniques used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. Using an OMT approach, a therapist moves a patient’s fascia, organs, nerves, muscles, and joints using techniques specifically designed to mobilize the precise anatomic structure. Movement = Health. Viscera means the internal organs. Visceral Manipulation
Myofascial release (MFR) is a manual therapy technique that treats skeletal muscle immobility and pain by relaxing contracted muscles, improving blood and lymphatic circulation, and stimulating the stretch reflex in muscles. Fascia is a thin, tough, elastic type of connective tissue that wraps most structures within the human body, including muscle, tendons, organs, and nerves.
Medical massage is soft tissue therapy concerned with providing relief for different medical conditions. At IPT we perform soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, active release technique, cranial-sacral, and trigger point release. Although these skilled techniques may feel similar to getting a massage; these manual therapies are more precise in targeting specific anatomical structures including fascia,
The International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists (IFOMPT) defines manual therapy techniques as “Skilled hand movements intended to produce any or all of the following effects: improve tissue extensibility; increase range of motion of the joint complex; mobilize or manipulate soft tissues and joints; induce relaxation; change muscle function; modulate pain; and reduce soft
Graston Technique: Graston Technique® is an evidence-based form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to effectively address scar tissue, fascial restrictions and range of motion limitations. This non-invasive technique uses specially designed stainless steel instruments to identify and treat areas with soft tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation. IPT therapists use six stainless steel