Joint Mobilization
Get Moving with Ease Once Again with Joint Mobilization
Mobilize Your Joints with Physical Therapy!
Joint mobilization is an incredibly effective treatment option, but many patients are unaware of its benefits.
Our Sarasota physical therapy practice is proud to offer our patients in need the joint mobilization techniques that they need.
This form of treatment involves the passive movement of specific joints by means of a qualified application of force, direction, and technique.
Our physical therapist may use his or her hands to directly mobilize a wounded joint with joint mobilization, or they may prefer to use indirect techniques involving neuromuscular activationsome instruments, such as braces, to help deliver the desired treatment effect.
If you think that our joint mobilization techniques can help you, please contact us today for more information!
What should I know about joint mobilization?
You have hundreds of joints in your body that come in a variety of shapes and sizes (such as a “hinge joint” in your elbow, a “ball and socket joint” in your hip, or a “saddle joint” in your thumb). Your joints depend on a combination of stability and mobility to help you function efficiently and comfortably.
Your joints are supported by a wide range of physiological structures, including ligaments, tendons, capsules, cartilage, and muscle fibers. All of these structures can be injured but can also benefit from physical therapy treatments, including joint mobilization.
The specific type, magnitude, speed, and frequency of joint mobilization performed depends on a number of factors, including the goal of treatment, the type of joint being targeted, and even your own unique anatomy.
The benefits of joint mobilization include the reduction of pain, improved range of motion, and improved quality of the joint movement itself (known as arthrokinematics).
Joint mobilization can help many specific conditions
Joint mobilization isn’t appropriate for all patients, and our skilled and experienced physical therapists can determine if it’s right for you or a loved one.
Sometimes, a joint can become irritated, swollen, or misaligned as a result of injury, stress, poor posture, repetitive movement, or even as a result of age-related wear and tear.
When this happens, the joint may not move correctly and become stiff and painful.
Nearby structures including muscles, tendons, and ligaments may become tense or injured as a compensatory effect of trying to support or stabilize the injured joint.
This can lead to muscle weakness or even impingement and damage to nearby nerves.
Specific conditions that our physical therapy team successfully manage with joint mobilizations include:
- Sciatica and other types of nerve impingement syndromes
- Rotator cuff tears and sprains
- Ankle sprains
- Whiplash
- Facet joint locking and other types of spinal misalignments
- Medial or lateral epicondylitis (golfer’s or tennis elbow, respectively)
- Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
- Arthritis (especially of the shoulder, spine, elbow, hip, and knee)
Joint issues are often the hidden underlying factors driving other types of injuries and ailments including muscle strains, ligament damage, and bursitis, so this is why we strongly encourage you to consult with a Sarasota physical therapist with any type of acute or chronic dysfunction.
Your joints could be contributing to your pain without you even realizing it!
What is a typical joint mobilization session like?
If you are seeking a physical therapist in Sarasota, we can help. At Total Body Physical Therapy, you may first expect a thorough assessment during your initial assessment. We will analyze and examine everything from your range of motion, balance, pain, posture, and even possible tissue tension in order to design the appropriate treatment plan for your needs.
We will be able to build a personalized care plan to meet your specific needs based on our examination results, as well as the details we collect from asking you about your current and past medical background.
Because joint mobilization strategies have been shown to be successful for a number of conditions, we may very well decide to incorporate this form of manual therapy into your treatment plan.
Be sure to wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothing to prepare for a physical therapy session with joint mobilization.
With joint mobilization techniques, your therapist must be able to see or feel the exact joint that he or she is mobilizing – bearing in mind, of course, that your privacy and comfort are of the utmost concern to our staff.
In order to optimize results and eliminate recurrent discomfort or dysfunction, our Sarasota physical therapist will also be sure to give you specific instructions on how to sit or lie during your appointment. They will also explain exactly what you can expect to experience, and what to do after your session.
At Total Body Physical Therapy, we will also provide you with additional resources to complement and enhance the effects of joint mobilization, which may include therapeutic exercises for stabilization and range of motion. Certain modalities or postural neuromuscular retraining may also be added to your treatment plan as deemed fit by our physical therapist.
Ready to add joint mobilization to your treatment plan?
Do you think joint mobilization may be right for you? If so, schedule an appointment at Total Body Physical Therapy today to learn more about our wide range of physical therapy services that we offer.
Drug-free relief from joint or muscle pain is possible. Get started on your healing journey today!
