Often Used To Help

You have hundreds of joints in your body, which come in a variety of types 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. Joints, formed by the articulating surfaces of two or more bones, depend on a combination of both stability and mobility in order to help you function efficiently and comfortably. Importantly, joints are supported by a wide variety of physiological structures including capsules, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscle fibers, all of which can become injured and potentially benefit from physical therapy services, including joint mobilization.

Joint issues are often the hidden underlying factors driving other types of injuries and ailments including muscle strains, ligament damage, and bursitis. 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.

Joint mobilization is a type of manual therapy which involves the passive movement of specific joints using the skilled application of force, direction, and technique. Our PT’s use their hands to mobilize an affected joint, or they may elect to use certain tools, including straps, to help deliver the desired treatment goal. The primary benefits of joint mobilizations include pain reduction, improved range of motion, and improved quality of joint movement.

For more information, contact Vineyard Complementary Medicine.