Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and its Techniques

 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy is a specialized area of physiotherapy treating injuries and conditions which affect the muscles, joints, and soft tissues. Injuries that can be treated by musculoskeletal physiotherapy can include:

• Ligament sprains
• Muscle strains
• Arthritis
• Cartilage tears
• Pre and post-surgery rehabilitation
• Fracture rehabilitation
• Back pain

These injuries can require a musculoskeletal physiotherapy assessment and a treatment session to optimize healing and speed the recovery process. Upon assessment, the physiotherapist will set goals and develop an appropriate rehabilitation plan. Some of the treatments which the musculoskeletal physiotherapist may use can include:

• Exercise therapy
• Manual therapy
• Self-management strategies

The most appropriate treatments will be selected upon the clinical judgment and the experience of the Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist on the findings from the initial assessment. Treatments for musculoskeletal injuries aim to:

• Optimize healing
• Speed the recovery process
• Increase strength
• Restore normal movement
• Decrease pain
• Decrease swelling and inflammation
• Increase independence

These will all be considered by the Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist when they are developing the treatment plan.

Techniques used in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Below are the most common treatment techniques used by physiotherapists every day to get their patients back to optimal health and performance, free of aches and pains.

1.     Physical examination and assessment

The first and most important step in the treatment process is the physical examination and assessment your physiotherapist will complete on your first visit. Expect to have a deep and meaningful chat with your physio where they will ask you several detailed questions about your general health, activities, and how your aches or pain came about. It’s at this point a good physio becomes a bit like Sherlock Holmes, sometimes it takes a bit of sleuthing to get to the bottom of some injuries and pain as they can be the result of an injury that starts in another area of the body.

Following getting to know your part, your physio will begin to lay out a treatment plan personalized to your current situation. Depending on where you are on the injury and pain scale, the first course of action might be a prescription for some recovery and icing of the affected area before moving forward with physical therapy.

2.     Joint and soft tissue mobilization

Joint and soft tissue mobilization techniques are forms of manual therapy that have been tried and tested over decades. When joints and other soft tissue become painful due to trauma, overuse, or disuse, they can become dysfunctional and unable to perform the movements they were designed for. Soft tissue injury is an umbrella term used to describe injuries affecting your muscles, tendons, or fascia that usually occur because of sprains, strains, contusions, tendonitis, bursitis, and stress injuries. Soft tissue mobilization has also been called therapeutic massage and has been designed to relax a patient’s muscles and reduce swelling in certain areas, making it a perfect treatment for relieving pain associated with sporting injuries.

Joint mobilization is a technique used by physiotherapists by performing a back-and-forth oscillation of the joint to restore the full range of motion and limit pain. Joint mobilization is helpful in cases where pain and joint tightness limit motion such as the frozen shoulder. Joint mobilization treatment varies depending on your circumstances but will generally include gentle joint mobilizations, joint manipulation, and none of the old-school snap, crackle, and pop techniques that have little long-term benefit.

3.     Acupuncture and Dry Needling

Dry needling and acupuncture are two of those treatments that always raise my patient’s eyebrows. At first, not many people are keen on the prospect of being jabbed with tiny needles, it sounds counterproductive to kicking pain, doesn’t it? But after one session, they’re converts.

Contrary to popular belief, dry needling is not the same as acupuncture, although there are similarities between the techniques. The main difference between dry needling and acupuncture is found in the theories behind why each of the techniques works. Dry Needling focuses on the reduction of pain and restoration of normal function by releasing myofascial trigger points in the muscle. In contrast, acupuncture is dedicated to the treatment of medical conditions via the restoration of the flow of energy (chi) through key points in the body to restore balance.

4.     Ergonomic, biomechanical, and sports-specific technique correction

If your visit to the physiotherapist was brought about by suffering an overuse or acute injury at work, during sport, or just by living your normal life, you’re doing yourself a disservice and increasing your chances of re-injury if you don’t take adequate steps at changing your movement patterns or technique. 

Poor technique and posture are two of the most common sources of repeat injury observed by physios. Biomechanical assessment, technique observation, and diagnostic skills are all part of the skill set of your musculoskeletal physiotherapist, and allowing them to observe you in your environment or using your regular physical techniques will ultimately help you to avoid musculoskeletal and sports injuries in the future.