Manual therapy
Hands-on work on muscle and joint, for adults whose neck, shoulders or upper back feel tight.
Manual therapy is what it sounds like: your therapist uses their hands to move, press and stretch muscle and joint. We pair it with a few movements to practice and advice about your day, and we explain each step before we do it.
This care is for you if
Your neck or shoulders feel tight by the end of the day
You want hands-on care and a plan you can follow at home
You would like to know what your therapist is doing before they do it
You prefer one long visit with one therapist to a rushed one
A visit
What a visit looks like
About an hour for a first visit, with one physical therapist.
Talk
Your therapist asks about your days, your work and what you want to keep doing, and listens first.
Examine
A look at how your neck, shoulders and upper back move, explained in plain words as we go.
Hands-on care
Pressure, stretch and gentle joint movement, matched to what the exam found. Tell us and we ease off.
Plan
A few movements to practice, and what decides when you come back.
What we do
Named plainly, with no promise of a result.
Soft tissue work
Pressure and stretch along the muscles of the neck, shoulders and upper back.
Joint movement
Gentle, graded movement of a joint, never forced. We explain it first and stop when you ask.
Exercise and advice
A few movements to practice, and small changes to how you sit, drive and sleep.
Good to know
What decides how many visits
Your exam, your goals and how you respond. Your therapist tells you what they expect, and revisits it as you go. Results vary.
How it is paid for
You pay for each visit yourself, and we give you a written estimate before your first visit.
How fees workWhen to see a doctor first
If you have new weakness or numbness, a fever with a stiff neck, or pain after a fall or an injury, see a physician first. For anything sudden and severe, call 911.
Questions about this care
Is manual therapy the same as a massage?
They overlap. A physical therapist examines you first, explains what they find, and chooses hands-on techniques as part of a plan that includes movement and advice. It is not a relaxation massage.
Does manual therapy have risks?
Every treatment has some. Some people are sore for a day or two afterward. Your therapist explains the risks of what they propose before they begin, and you can stop at any point.
Start with a conversation
A free 15-minute phone call is a chance to ask about your situation and what a visit involves. It is not a visit.