Soft tissue therapy is a hands-on treatment that focuses on the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues that support your body’s movement. It can help reduce muscle tension, improve flexibility, relieve pain, and restore normal movement by addressing areas of tightness or dysfunction that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Soft tissue therapy can complement chiropractic care by addressing the muscular component of pain and movement restrictions. Muscles support the body and can create unwanted tension in areas that contribute to the discomfort patients experience. Reducing this tension can improve mobility and allow for easier adjustments and exercise.
How soft tissue therapy may help
Soft tissue therapy may be recommended to help address muscle tension, discomfort, and movement restrictions that can affect how you move and perform everyday activities.
Patients commonly seek soft tissue therapy for concerns such as:
- Muscle tightness and knots
- Muscle pain and discomfort
- Headaches
- Reduced flexibility
- Restricted movement
Treatment may focus on areas including the neck, back, shoulders, hips, arms, legs, calves, and feet. Depending on your assessment and goals, we may use techniques such as manual stretching, trigger point release, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), cupping, and myofascial release.
By addressing the muscular component of pain and movement restrictions, soft tissue therapy can help reduce unwanted tension, improve mobility, and support easier movement during activities, exercise, and chiropractic care.
What to expect during your appointment
During your appointment, we assess the areas contributing to your symptoms and determine the appropriate approach for your needs. Treatment is tailored to the areas of tightness, tension, or dysfunction that may be affecting your movement.
Soft tissue therapy may be used alongside other treatments, including chiropractic care and exercise, to help improve mobility and support your recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soft tissue therapy focuses on assessing and treating areas of muscle and connective tissue that may be contributing to tension, discomfort, or movement restrictions. Treatment is based on your specific needs and may include techniques such as trigger point release, stretching, IASTM, cupping, and myofascial release.
Soft tissue therapy should not be painful, but some techniques may create pressure or temporary discomfort depending on the area being treated and the level of tension present. We adjust treatment based on your comfort level.
Comfortable clothing that allows you to move easily is recommended. The best clothing choice depends on the area being assessed and treated.
Soft tissue therapy can complement exercise-based rehabilitation by helping address muscle tension and mobility restrictions. Reducing tension may make it easier to perform exercises and progress through a rehabilitation plan.
The frequency of treatment depends on your individual needs, goals, symptoms, and how your body responds to care. We will discuss an approach that is appropriate for your situation.
No. In Ontario, you do not need a referral to see a chiropractor or receive soft tissue therapy as part of chiropractic care.