techniques, Services & Treatments

Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is a gentle manual therapy technique that uses voluntary muscle contraction in a precise direction, combined with careful joint positioning to relax and lengthen muscle thus allowing normal joint movement. MET is a gentle alternative to traditional thrust manipulation, and is used to treat stiff joints and muscle "cramps or spasms" caused by overuse or strain. When muscles are tense they will cause the joint to become stiff, restricted and move abnormally. In these cases, MET can relax the muscle and release the joint while the patient generally feels a sense of relaxation. During the procedure, the therapist places a patient in a position that is specific to their dysfunction. The patient then applies a small and comfortable muscle contraction against the therapist resistance in a precise direction. Typical outcomes of muscle energy techniques are decreased pain, decreased stiffness, and increased range of motion. For the treatment of muscle contractures (shortened and tense muscles), the affected muscle is gently stretched to it longest pain-free range. The patient then performs a series of 3-5 gentle muscle contractions of about 10 seconds each followed by additional lengthening of the muscle. The procedure encourages the muscle to naturally relax and results in improved range of motion and decreased pain related to muscle tension.

Strain-Counterstrain is a comfortable indirect technique (moving soft tissue in the direction of ease) used to reset inappropriate nerve sensitivity to a normal level. An abnormal, increased frequency of impulses from the nervous system produces increased muscle tone and/or spasms. By normalizing these signals patients will notice decreased pain, increased mobility, and improved function. Strain-Counterstrain allows your therapist to painlessly “release” muscle and connective tissue spasm from many areas and systems of the body. Specific treatment positions are held for up to 90 seconds for orthopedic patients and up to 3 minutes for neurological patients. Because this technique yields lasting results and has no side effects, it has numerous applications in the rehabilitative setting and can be used to treat many areas and dysfunctions.

Pioneered by Australian born Geoffrey Maitland, PT, this manual therapy technique emphasizes continuous evaluation and assessment with mobilization treatment (small range, rhythmical movement) of both spinal and peripheral joints to decrease pain, reduce stiffness, and increase range of movement. Maitland technique is most commonly used to treat spine disorders and it also works well on peripheral joints. The type of mobilization used depends on the severity, irritability, and nature of the spinal or peripheral joint pain. Your therapist will assess your spinal or other joint pain and decide which type of treatment is appropriate. Along with other forms of joint mobilization, the Maitland Concept is very effective for treating joint pain and stiffness.

The Mulligan Concept is a technique that involves manual “repositioning” of the affected joint by the therapist in order to restore function and remove pain as the patient moves through their range of motion. The core of the Mulligan concept is the Mobilization with Movement (MWM). During treatment, your therapist will determine if a joint is causing range of motion loss or pain. Your therapist will then reposition that joint, using their hands to generate an accessory glide, in order to provide a situation that allows the patient to perform a pain free movement. The benefits of this technique are an immediate reduction in pain, an improvement in range of motion, and a long-lasting effect.

This is a gentle, yet effective technique that uses sustained pressure into the myofascial system or connective tissue to restore motion and reduce pain. These tissues surround and support the muscles, blood vessels, nerves, organs, bones, joints and ligaments throughout your body. The pain may originate from restrictions within the fascia creating tension on pain sensitive structures. These restrictions come about for trauma, inflammatory responses and surgical procedures. Myofascial release focuses on reducing pain by easing the tension and tightness throughout the myofascial system, restoring the normal gliding between the layers of fascia and through sustained pressure creates lengthening in the restricted tissue.

The McKenzie Method uses physical therapy and exercise in the form of sustained or repetitive movements, usually of the spine and help “centralize” the patient’s pain by moving it away from the extremities (leg or arm) to the spine. Spinal pain is usually better tolerated than leg pain or arm pain, and the theory of the approach is that centralizing the pain allows the source of the pain to be treated rather than the symptoms. A central tenet of the McKenzie Method is that self-healing and self-treatment, including exercise and postural correction, are important for the patient’s pain relief and rehabilitation. The long-term goal of the McKenzie Method is to teach patients suffering from neck pain and/or back pain how to manage their own pain for life using exercise and other strategies. The McKenzie Method also utilizes repetitive movements to treat peripheral joints by restoring normal movement.

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle, relaxing type of bodywork that regulates the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull and between the head and the sacrum by creating movement in the cranial sutures of the skull and the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. These structures and fluids protect, support, and nourish the brain and spinal cord. CST uses a light pressure throughout the body to treat the membranes and restore movement of the fluids in and around the central nervous system. This relieves tension in the central nervous system and promotes a feeling of well-being by reducing pain and improving tissue health.

Myofascial trigger points, also known as trigger points, are described as hyperirritable spots in the skeletal muscle that refer pain to another area in a recognizable pattern. The trigger point model states that unexplained pain frequently radiates from these points of local tenderness to broader areas, sometimes distant from the trigger point itself. These pain pathways do not follow normal nerve patterns. There are two types of trigger points that we treat: active and latent trigger points. Latent trigger points simply hurt at their exact location. An active trigger point refers to pain to another part of the body. If someone presses on an active trigger point in your shoulder, you may feel pain in your shoulder along with symptoms in your chest or arm. Trigger point therapy is specifically designed to alleviate the source of the pain through cycles of isolated pressure and release. Ice and heat followed by stretch may be included as part of the treatment. It is also important to try to identify the cause of the trigger points so that the recurrence can be diminished or eliminated.

Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization is a process that enables your physical therapist to detect and treat adhesions (poorly organized scar tissue) or areas of fibrotic tissue through the use of specifically designed hand-held tools, as opposed to using hands alone. The instruments effectively break down fascial restrictions and provide your therapist with a mechanical advantage that is sensitive to subtle restrictions in the tissue. SASTM is proven to be highly effective, providing an innovative method to expedite the restoration and recovery of patients to full, functional lives.

PNF is a direction specific stretching treatment done with your physical therapist that enhances active and passive range of motion to improve function. The purpose of PNF is to evoke motor responses and improve neuromuscular control and function. Essentially, PNF is an advanced form of flexibility training that involves both the stretching and contraction of the muscle group being targeted. PNF is considered an optimal stretching method when the aim is to increase range of motion and activate specific muscle groups to help with strengthening and improvement in function.

Mostly done as part of a home exercise program, nerve mobilization helps to decompress nerves that are being compressed or restricted by surrounding soft tissues. The treatment uses gentle, precise tension applied to the nerve in order to glide it through the nerve sheath or connective tissue surrounding the nerve. Nerve mobilization improves blood supply to the nerves so they have better health and are not so easily irritated. Nerve mobilization is used to treat many areas of the body; one of the most common places for a nerve restriction is the sciatic nerve, also referred to as sciatica. This technique is used to improve function and decrease nerve related symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, and/or burning.

This is a cross-fiber massage, applied to muscles, tendons and ligaments to desensitize the tissues and create a healing inflammatory response. Transverse Friction Massage promotes optimal collagen healing by increasing circulation and decreasing collagen cross-linking, thus decreasing the formation of adhesions and scar tissue.

At Southside Physical Therapy Inc, we focus on appropriate stretches, strengthening and functional training that improve your tissue health and promote your ability to do the things you want and need to do. We create easy-to-follow exercise programs custom fit to each patient’s individual needs and can be done at home, the gym, or in our clinic.

Traction can be performed manually or by using a mechanical traction table to unload the joints and surrounding soft tissues allowing the spaces between the vertebrae in the neck or low back to slightly increase. Through stimulation of the movement receptor nerve endings traction helps to reduce pain and improve movement. Traction is most helpful for arm or leg pain that is coming from the spine.