Physical therapy: How non-traditional treatments can help improve movement

A physical therapist uses a technique called instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization to work on a patients lower leg muscles.

If you’ve been to a physical therapy center, you’re likely familiar with the tools of the trade. Look around and you’ll observe padded tables, dumbbells, exercise balls, recumbent bikes and those taunting resistance bands that want to take a shot at you.

All are standard equipment, and when put in motion by trained and caring physical therapists, they can be life-altering devices that improve your strength, mobility and overall health.

There are other tools, however, that may not immediately catch your eye in a rehabilitation center, but also can be crucial in your recovery.

As a movement expert, your physical therapist evaluates which treatments can most benefit your condition. Oftentimes it’s a mix of traditional and not-so-traditional treatments to:

Increase your range of motion
Decrease pain and discomfort
Build endurance
Lower or avoid the need for medication
Recover quality of life

Depending on your condition, some less familiar physical therapy treatments can be a perfect fit for your care plan. Here are three you may encounter:

Cupping

Cupping treats muscle and soft tissue dysfunction, such as spasms, swelling and pain.

This technique presses small silicone “cups” or “domes” against flesh to create suction.

It stimulates blood as the suction pulls the skin upward into the cup, expanding tiny vessels under the skin. The sudden increase of blood flow turns the cupped areas reddish or pink.

A cupping disc being depressed on the skin.

Cupping has been around for thousands of years, but is one of the lesser known techniques employed to ease:

Back and neck pain
Headache relief
Arthritis

Dry needling

Unlike cupping, which targets broader areas of the body, dry needling is a micro treatment.

This technique uses thin needles inserted into the skin at precise points in the muscle where there is pain or sensitivity. There is no medication delivered through the needle, like with a vaccine, which is why it’s called “dry needle.”

When inserted into the skin, the needle directly targets the area of discomfort, easing or eliminating the pain. Though it uses needles, this alternative method of pain relief is not acupuncture, which is a common misconception.

Hands of physical therapist inserting dry needle in a man's shoulder.

Dry needling is a technique for stimulating and releasing pain and tension while acupuncture is a practice focused on restoring energy flow in the body.

In the dry needle procedure, the length of the needle depends on which area of the body is being treated. Most people feel little or no pain, and the procedure lasts about 15 minutes.

If appropriate for you, our therapists will create a treatment plan that includes dry needling along with other therapies.

Dry needling is not provided in every state. Find a location near you that provides the service.

Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)

You love deep-tissue massages, right? We all do.

That firm pressure targeting a hard-to-reach ache or an area of chronic pain? It feels tremendous when your body has been barking.

Well, IASTM is also a technique that digs deep into the tissues and muscles.

Similar to deep-tissue massage, soft-tissue mobilization works like a standard massage except it uses specialized instruments. A common physical therapy practice, it allows for more targeted treatment than a masseuse’s hands.

IASTM produces good results for large muscle groups as well in smaller, concentrated areas.

Angle and pressure of the instruments allow your physical therapist to concentrate on a specific layer of soft tissue during treatment. Often, these are areas where prior injury or long-term overuse has contributed to a build-up of scar tissue that the technique can help break down.

Hands pulling a curved metal rod with handles up a man's calf.

Soft-tissue mobilization is a good choice for those who have conditions or injuries which lead to restricted movement, including:

Arthritis sufferers
Athletes
Workers who perform long-term repetitive tasks or stand for extended periods

Every patient has different needs and goals, so let our trained staff evaluate your situation and decide whether these techniques can work better for you than more traditional approaches.

To request a consultation for one of our specialty services or ask questions regarding treatment, fill out this short form. If you’d rather speak with someone personally, call our toll-free scheduling line at (888) 779-6682.