How do I know if Manual Therapy is right for me?
Everyone can benefit from manual therapy because of the positive effects it can bring, namely reducing pain and increasing relaxation. A study showed that such therapy can decrease cortisol (the stress hormone) by 31% on average and increase dopamine and serotonin (the “feel good” hormones) by 28-31%.
Other benefits include
The impact of positive touch can also be an incredible benefit, especially when so often “poked” and “prodded” at doctor’s appointments and being “handled” by caregivers. The positive touch associated with manual therapies can be a great comfort and improve the connectedness one can feel to their body.
Neurological Impairments & Manual Therapy
Is there anything to be cautious of with manual therapy if I have a spinal cord injury, brain injury or other decrease level of sensation?
The biggest caution regarding any neurological disorder and manual therapies is that with decreased/loss of sensation or decreased ability to communicate is the amount of pressure used in the session.
The therapist should use caution with using too deep of pressure to ensure no bruising takes place so as not to cause more harm than good.