Manual Therapy is an umbrella term for "hands on" intervention for the treatment of various health ailments.
In the context of this practice, manual therapy is based on the premise that the body has an innate self-correcting mechanism. It is an evolution of the work of A. T. Still (the father of osteopathy). The advanced manual therapist is trained to look at the whole person and they understand that restrictions in one part of the body may affect another. Essentially, life is motion. Manual therapy helps the body release restrictions that inhibit the body’s normal self-correcting abilities. Rather than deciding how these changes should be made, the therapist listens to the “wisdom of the body” by feeling for restrictions or "strain patterns" in connective tissue (fascia) as well as assessing posture, mobility, motility, tissue texture/temperature, rhythm, fluids, and range of motion. When the therapist follows this gentle approach, the method is extremely safe and effective. People usually descibe sessions as quite unique from other reductionistic approaches. There is no singe path back to the origin of manual therapy. Manual Therapy is a specialized training and is practiced and taught by osteopaths, physical and occupational therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors and other holistic bodyworkers.
Innovative manual therapies such as craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, and visceral manipulation, are known for their ability to promote relief from pain, recovery from injury, and aid in functional rehabilitation. These therapies also have many health benefits and are also useful for stress relief, peak performance, and overall wellness.
Walter Blick, MS, OTR/L, LMT, CST Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release 15 East 10th Street New York, NY 10003 Suite 1c 646. 957. 3155 
Manual Therapy
copyright 2009 Walter Blick, Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, and Kinesiology: New York, New York
