Manual Therapy - Mobilizing and Manipulation

Joint mobilization refers to techniques that are used to treat joint dysfunction such as when there is stiffness, or pain.  When indicated, joint mobilization is a safe and effective means of restoring or maintaining movement within a joint and can also be used to treat pain..  Movement within a joint and surrounding tissues that are necessary for normal range of motion that the patient cannot control must be restored in order for full normal physiological movement to take place.  This is done manually by your physiotherapist.

Indications for mobilization and manipulation

1.    Loss of range of motion can be caused by trauma or immobilization or, most commonly, a combination of the two. For instance, if an elbow joint has been immobilized for 6-8 weeks due to a fracture the following changes have occurred:

• loss of extensibilty of soft tissues around the joint such as ligaments, joint capsule, fascia, and tendons.
• deposition of fibrofatty infiltrates that act as "intra-articular glue"
• shortening of muscles
• softening and breakdown of articular cartilage

All of the physiotherapists at Great Lakes Physiotherapy Centres have advanced postgraduate training in manual therapeutic techniques.