Soft Tissue Mobilization

Soft Tissue Mobilization Techniques

Your licensed PT is specially trained to use his or her hands to push, pull and knead your muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves in precise ways to help bring you pain relief and return you to functionality.
Specific techniques for soft tissue mobilization include:

Sustained pressure – Pushing directly on the restricted tissue and holding

Unlocking spiral – Pushing on the restricted tissue in alternating clockwise and counterclockwise rotating motions

Direct oscillations – Rhythmic pushing on the restricted tissue

Perpendicular mobilization – Pushing on the myofascial tissue at right angles

Parallel mobilization – Pushing along the seams of muscles

Perpendicular strumming – Rhythmic pushing along muscle border, followed by rubber of top of muscle

Friction massage – Pushing across the grain of the muscles, tendons and ligaments

Being able to implement soft tissue mobilization techniques requires a significant amount of training in human anatomy and physiology and understand how manipulating the tissues will impact physical function. Physical therapists specialize in evaluation, assessment and treatment of movement function disorders. Soft tissue mobilization is just one of the strategies that we use to help our patients meet their functional goals.
If you have any strains, sprains, or questions about the techniques used in soft tissue mobilization.