Manual Therapy
Manual therapy is the clinical approach to utilising specific hands-on techniques, including but not limited to manipulation and mobilization, to diagnose and treat tissue and joint structures. It improves overall function by aiding pain modulation, facilitating movement and range of motion, reducing soft tissue inflammation and improving tissue repair. There are several types of manual therapy, which are often used in conjunction.
Mobilisations/Manipulation: Gentle mobilisations of joints can help improve small positional faults in the joint that can cause a catching, jamming pain or stiffness. Such techniques are used to free the joint so it can glide and slide smoothly, allowing range of motion to improve and pain to decrease. Mobilisations are great for back and neck pain without causing aggravation to the joints. Manipulation can refer to a high-velocity movement accompanied by cavitation or gapping of the joint that results in an intrasynovial vacuum phenomenon thought to involve gas separating from fluid – known as a ‘click’ or ‘pop’.
Trigger Point Release: Pressure applied to specific areas in the muscle can release tightness in the muscle. Muscle tightness can cause referred pain to other areas of the body and can be very uncomfortable. Trigger point release allows these muscles to relax; relieving aches, pains and tension.
Massage: Massage is used to help increase blood flow to a specific area, promoting tissue healing by bringing nutrients and oxygen into the area. Massage helps relax muscle tissue and is great to relieve tightness and tension.
For more information from the New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association please click the link below:
The McKenzie Method® of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy.
This is an internationally acclaimed method developed by New Zealand Physiotherapist Robin McKenzie. It has been widely used all over the world for more than 30 years.
This philosophy of active patient involvement is trusted and used by clinicians globally for the assessment, treatment, education and
empowerment of patients with back, neck and extremities disorders.
For more information about The McKenzie Institute please click the link below:
Acupuncture and Dry Needling
Acupuncture refers to the insertion of fine, single-use, sterile needles into a body part in order to create a change in symptoms. At Tauranga Physiotherapy we practice Western Acupuncture which utilises traditional meridian points but applies Western scientific reasoning in regards to neurophysiology and anatomy. Multiple needles are used and they are placed in the body for 10-30 mins. Acupuncture is used for pain relief, reduction of swelling, healing or to promote general well-being. A large range of conditions can all be appropriately treated with acupuncture, such as: acute injuries, trigger points, whiplash, back pain, neck pain, headaches, chronic injuries, stress-related aches, osteoarthritis and joint pain.
Dry needling is performed using only one single-use, sterile needle which is rapidly moved around in a taut band of an affected muscle in order to produce a twitch response. This technique is aimed at restoring or improving muscle function. Dry needling can improve pain control, reduce muscle tension and normalise dysfunctions of the motor end plates, the sites at which nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles. This can help speed up the patient’s return to active rehabilitation.
For more information from the New Zealand Acupuncture Association please click the link below:
Pain Education and Management
Anyone who has experienced ongoing pain that persists for more than 3 months is not alone. Approximately 20% of humans have had or have chronic pain.
While it is a debilitating condition and hugely challenging, it does not mean that one will remain forever stuck in a painful rut. Research has shown that pain educating as a management strategy is effective in reducing pain levels, increasing function and improving movement in people with chronic musculoskeletal pain, (Louw et al, 2011).
Tauranga Physiotherapy offers a Pain Education and Management Service to those struggling with ongoing pain. These can be accessed privately or may be funded by ACC. These programmes may also include collaboration from other healthcare professionals to ensure all aspects of a client’s pain and resulting life circumstances are taken into consideration.
Many globally approved materials are utilised during the programme, some of which are produced by the Neuro Orthopaedic Institute, founded in Austrlia.
For more information about the Neuro Orthopaedic Institute please click the link below:
Tissue Release
Our clinicians are trained in multiple complimenting techniques to aid the recovery and restoration of body tissue. These include The S.T.R.A.I.T Method™, Myofascial Release Therapy and Sports Massage Therapy.