Manual Therapy

The therapists at Lighthouse Physical Therapy utilize Integrative Manual Therapy as their central treatment tool. This approach allows them the ability to treat a broad spectrum of conditions, including those that would not tolerate a more traditional approach and diagnoses not normally addressed by physical therapy.

Integrative Manual Therapy [or IMT] was originally developed by Sharon Weiselfish-Giammateo, PhD, PT, as a synthesis of different manual therapy approaches from the fields of osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, and chiropractics. As these methods were added to, combined, and evolved, IMT has become a distinct method of assessment and treatment unto itself, practiced by physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractic physicians, massage therapists, medical doctors, and others. It is implemented gently with human hands and has yielded dramatic results for people with a wide variety of ailments.

At Lighthouse Physical Therapy we look at the whole body to determine what areas are contributing to your dysfunction. Each patient is evaluated and assessed to determine the source and location of the pathology that is contributing to their symptoms. We can then determine what methods would be best used to resolve each issue. It should be noted that there are usually multiple areas of tissue dysfunction contributing to the patient's signs and symptoms.

IMT as a tool for treatment integrates many different techniques to rehabilitate the body and to help heal the bodies systems on a whole. This integrative approach helps all components of the person to move beyond dysfunction and produce remarkable results that may not have been attained with other therapies.

Simply stated IMT uses specialized soft tissue techniques, gentle joint mobilizations, and energetics to systematically release restrictions in the body to decrease their signs and symptoms and restore the client to a better quality of life.


This unique approach of soft tissue and joint mobilization techniques can affect all of the body's systems:

• Muscular
• Skeletal
• Vascular
• Lymphatic
• Neural
• Cardiopulmonary
• Digestive
• Fascial
• and more...

Some Diagnoses we see with excellent results using manual therapy include:

• Low back pain and sacral disorders
• Autoimmune problems: including Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc.
• Lymph edema
• Lyme disease
• Migraines and headaches
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Autism and ADD
• Asthma
• Facial paralysis and Bell's Palsy
• Nerve injuries and impingements
• Herniated discs
• Joint derangements and dysfunctions
• Radiculopathy and neuropathy
• Incontinence, urinary urgency, and pelvic pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Strokes (CVA's) and head injuries (TBI's)
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Shoulder Impingement