FPF Show Episode 2: Should You Use Manual Therapies as a Physical Therapist?

By Nichole Bonner

October 8, 2021

I find it very tough for new PTs and PT students to navigate the social media world today.  You've got very polarized opinions out there on almost every topic.  Manual therapies are no different.

You have some folks who use absolutely zero manual therapies and go as far as shaming other PTs for even considering them in clinical practice.  You also have some folks who do almost exclusively manual techniques and feel like it's the best possible care a patient can receive.  We even have entire fellowship programs in our profession designed around manual techniques.

So what's the answer?  In today's podcast I go over common arguments  on both sides of the equation and let you know why I choose to use manual therapies with my patients.

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Show Notes / Relevant Articles:

  1. Cook C. Immediate effects from manual therapy: much ado about nothing?. J Man Manip Ther. 2011;19(1):3-4. doi:10.1179/106698110X12804993427009
  2. Fredin K, Lorås H. Manual therapy, exercise therapy or combined treatment in the management of adult neck pain - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2017 Oct;31:62-71. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2017.07.005. Epub 2017 Jul 21. PMID: 28750310.
  3. Bishop MD, Torres-Cueco R, Gay CW, Lluch-Girbés E, Beneciuk JM, Bialosky JE. What effect can manual therapy have on a patient's pain experience?. Pain Manag. 2015;5(6):455-464. doi:10.2217/pmt.15.39
  4. Aspinall SL, Leboeuf-Yde C, Etherington SJ, Walker BF. Manipulation-induced hypoalgesia in musculoskeletal pain populations: a systematic critical review and meta-analysis. Chiropr Man Therap. 2019;27:7. Published 2019 Jan 29. doi:10.1186/s12998-018-0226-7

That's it!

Dan Pope DPT, OCS, CSCS