As part of our treatment if we can replicate your familiar symptom, and then reduce the symptom, we can then actually reduce the triggering of the symptoms to allow the body to heal. When we have confidence that we are treating at least some of what is creating your pain or dysfunction, it gives us the ability to do “the right thing to the right tissues at the right dose”, and ultimately to correct the causes of your pain or dysfunction.

As opposed to massage or physiotherapy, the stages of orthopedic manual therapy correct the issue and then support future health of the joint.

The first stage of recovery is restoring normal muscle function.

The second stage is to strengthen and balance the body

And the third stage is to increase endurance.

Orthopedic manual therapy is a form of advanced therapeutic massage. Whereas you may not feel ready for a massage, this technique is gentle enough for acute injuries and post-surgical repair.

Clients are treated on a massage table as with other forms of massage, although the client remains fully clothed and no oil is used. As with a regular massage, the experience is completely relaxing, but with orthopedic manual therapy, the cause of the issue is addressed. This is how we can actively engage the right muscles and form connects with the brain. The treatment helps with pain elicited from nerves, tendon, ligament, or muscle.

HM synthesizes Wave Mobilization®, a unique method of soft tissue mobilization created by Dr. Tom Hendrickson, with Joint Mobilization and Muscle Energy Technique (MET) to reduce pain, restore function, and promote optimum health. The effect is that chronic and dense muscle tissue dysfunction can be reversed while the client is experiencing a relaxing treatment.

We don't advise people to just rest up! But you obviously should’t overdo things, either.

We want to see how your body responds to the initial treatment within the first 24 hours. Go about your “regular daily activity” as this will give us valuable data.

While there may be some small therapeutic movements or tips that we recommend, generally the way your body reacts to treatment will tell us what dose to use in future sessions.

Although we recommend you resume normal daily activity after the first treatment, it’s a mistake to suddenly overdo if because you’re feeling better!

As soon as people feel better they can attempt to “jump to see how far they can go” which is problematic if you’re rehabilitating an injured joint.

The problem is is that you haven't yet fully restored normal muscle function which puts a great deal of pressure on an already compromised joint.

A huge increase in the amount of activity means you're basically running a joint with extra friction and a less comfortable glide . This is why we ask clients not to suddenly increase activity but be patient with themselves.

The first stage of restoring muscle function is to bring you to a place where you can comfortably engage the muscle that's hypertonic, or tight. The muscle should fully relax when it's done engaging.

The second phase is to help the injured area stay relaxed while you're using other muscles in the area - especially opposing muscles.

The third goal is for a smooth partial contraction of the muscle. That is, the nervous system allows a very gentle beginning to the muscle contracting, and a very smooth, gradual and full release.

Typically, an injury will cause tension and when a muscle has been challenged for a long period of time, is it moves in a jerky way, often with a surprising hyper contraction.

Once those three phases are achieved in therapy you will be in the process of a huge increase in functional strength. As yet, we haven't added more muscle fiber, but the existing muscles are available to do the work as they are now working more efficiently, and in time that increases the functional strength.

As the injury heals, we can increase the health of the joint which will allow tissues to slide and glide within the joint capsule, restoring full range of motion.

What I have found during my treatment of hundreds of people with joint challenges is that there is a progression. What starts as a muscle imbalance either from postural stress, an injury, or overuse, becomes a referral of pain to joint areas.

Let’s take the shoulder joint, for example. As it becomes more painful to lift the arm above the horizon, the tissues inside the shoulder joint become less lubricated, hydrated and flexible.

The second progression is that shoulder tissues start to restrict movement by 90 ° . The consequence of this is that cartilage that would typically come in contact with other cartilage when lifting the shoulder above 90 °, has less stimulation and begins to deteriorate.

Surprisingly, most people that have MRI results indicating "shoulder cuff injury " are experiencing most of the pain from muscles in the upper arm.

The Hendrickson Method® of manual therapy is unique in assessing and comfortably treating the muscles most involved, and those with limited range, so that client can avoid this downward progression.

This technique also comfortably treats the tissues inside the joint, including ligaments, the joint capsule and cartilage. The healing response that is stimulated is vital to rejuvenating those tissues.

We find the three stages to treatment are as follows:

The first stage is regaining comfortable function of the muscles that are overly tight, and recruiting the opposite muscles that are typically functionally weak .

Most clients have no awareness of the specific muscles affected, but the body’s response is to bring circulation and elongation to the tight muscles and restore function to the opposite weak muscles. This results in a healthy, balanced joint.

The second stage is moving the joint through its comfortable range of motion using gentle oscillations. This technique is mesmerizing for the body and restorative for the shoulder joint.

The third stage of therapy is referring the client to strength training to restore the integrity of the joint and comfortably increase range of motion.

Clients are supported through recovery; ultimately resuming activities and rebuilding endurance.