Your Complete Guide to PT Manual Therapy for The Knee

By dpope2020

November 21, 2025

arthritis, arthritis in knee, dan pope, dr. david middaugh, fitness pain free, inner knee pain, joint pain, Knee, knee arthritis, knee arthritis exercises, knee arthritis physical therapy, knee exercises, knee mobility, knee osteoarthritis, knee pain, knee pain exercises, knee pain relief, knee pain relief exercises, massage, meniscus tear, mobility, osteoarthritis, physical therapist, physical therapy, physiotherapy, runners knee, soft tissue mobility

Your Complete Guide to PT Manual Therapy for The Knee

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In today's video we go over: Your Complete Guide to Manual Therapy for the Knee

Are you tired of feeling pressure to use manual therapy without knowing which techniques are actually backed by research? You know that patient education and exercise are the foundations of successful rehab, but sometimes your patients need that extra "oomph" to get short-to-medium-term pain relief and improved function. You need techniques that work, are evidence-based, and that you can apply with confidence today.

Why Watch This Video?

✅ The exact soft-tissue techniques (quad, hamstring, gastroc, adductor massage) proven in high-quality studies to reduce knee OA pain

✅ Step-by-step demos of the most effective Mulligan Mobilizations with Movement for the knee (medial/lateral glide, IR, posterior glide)

✅ Maitland tibiofemoral & patellofemoral mobilizations that respect arthrokinematics and actually improve ROM without flaring your patient up

✅ Exact dosing used in the research (sets, reps, frequency, grades) so you can implement tomorrow✅ Why manual therapy is the perfect ADJUNCT (and why relying on it alone is a trap)

✅ When NOT to use these techniques (post-op red flags)

🔥 Your #1 Takeaway: Manual therapy is a powerful adjunct—use it strategically for short-term gains, then follow up with stretching, joint range of motion, and your ultimate weapons: education and exercise!

👉 Perfect for busy physical therapists, clinic owners, and students who want to get better results.

TIMELINE

  • 0:00 - Intro
  • 0:15 - Which Populations?
  • 0:33 - Education & Exercise
  • 0:50 - Manual Therapy Limitations
  • 1:25 - Massage
  • 2:08 - Thumb Stripping
  • 3:06 - Ischemic Pressure
  • 3:32 - Hamstring Massage
  • 3:52 - Gastrocnemius Massage
  • 4:18 - Adductor Massage
  • 5:52 - Joint Arthrokinematics
  • 6:39 - Mobilization with Movement (Medial Glide)
  • 7:33 - Mobilization with Movement (Lateral Glide)
  • 8:10 - Mobilization with Movement (Posterior Glide)
  • 9:04 - Mobilization with Movement (Tibial IR)
  • 10:19 - Which & How Much?
  • 10:35 - Maitland - Posterior Tibial Glide
  • 11:10 - Tibial Anterior Glide
  • 13:09 - Femoral Posterior Glide
  • 13:53 - Patellar Mobilizations
  • 14:45 - Dosing & Intensity
  • 15:00 - Stretch & ROM

Get those knees going!

- Dan Pope DPT,OCS,CSCS

Show Notes / Relevant Articles:

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Thank you!

Dan Pope DPT, OCS, CSCS

References: 

  1. Abbott JH, Robertson MC, Chapple C, Pinto D, Wright AA, Leon de la Barra S, Baxter GD, Theis JC, Campbell AJ; MOA Trial team. Manual therapy, exercise therapy, or both, in addition to usual care, for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee: a randomized controlled trial. 1: clinical effectiveness. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013 Apr;21(4):525-34. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2012.12.014. Epub 2013 Jan 8. PMID: 23313532.
  2. T1 - EFFICACY OF MULLIGAN MOBILISATION AS COMPARED TO MAITLAND MOBILISATION IN FEMALES WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS:A DOUBLE BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL International Journal of Therapies and Rehabilitation Research
  3. Nigam A, Satpute KH, Hall TM. Long term efficacy of mobilisation with movement on pain and functional status in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomised clinical trial. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2020;35(1):80-89. doi:10.1177/0269215520946932
  4. Fitzgerald GK, Fritz JM, Childs JD, Brennan GP, Talisa V, Gil AB, Neilson BD, Abbott JH. Exercise, manual therapy, and use of booster sessions in physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis: a multi-center, factorial randomized clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2016 Aug;24(8):1340-9. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2016.03.001. Epub 2016 Mar 10. PMID: 26973326.

  5. Cortés Godoy V, Gallego Izquierdo T, Lázaro Navas I, Pecos Mart´n D. Effectiveness of massage therapy as co-adjuvant treatment to exercise in osteoarthritis of the knee: A randomized control trial. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. 2014;27(4):521-529. doi:10.3233/BMR-140476