Orthopedic Manual Therapy (OMT)

In the profession of physical therapy there are several different orthopedic manual therapy (OMT) certifications but none as comprehensive as the training through Michigan State Universities School of Osteopathic Medicine to become Certified in Functional Manual Medicine (CFMM).  A therapist that is CFMM has trained for years beyond typical physical therapy training and OMT training, learning from the osteopathic physicians, physical therapists and medical physicians who literally wrote the books on manual medicine. This is to ensure they are comprehensive, safe and effective at meeting your needs to help improve your quality of life. OMT is an approach that a medical providers may utilize, which is a highly skilled hands-on therapeutic techniques to diagnose the root cause of the patients problem and then treat the root cause to enhance the body’s ability to heal, self-regulate and maintain a higher quality of life. As of 2020 there are only 20 therapists that are CFMM in the world and 4 in the state of Virginia due to the specialized training and care.  There is no single technique that is right for every person.  A skilled OMT provider may use a combination of techniques to help you improve and be able to do more with your daily activities. The techniques may include joint mobilizations/manipulations, craniosacral techniques, muscle energy techniques, direct and indirect myofascial release, indirect functional techniques, strain/counterstrain, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation to name a few. Your physical needs are unique and the right approach will be utilized to improve your ability to function. People who seem to benefit the most from OMT are those patients with acute injuries or chronic pain. Many patients have been to physical therapy for months of strengthening and stretching and have not improved but then receive OMT that addresses the root of the problem and they improve dramatically. The site of your pain is not always the cause.

“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.” ( Romans 6:9  ESV)