What Is Manual Therapy in Physiotherapy?
Manual therapy is a hands-on form of physiotherapy used to treat musculoskeletal pain and stiffness. Our registered physiotherapists use their hands to mobilize joints and work through soft tissue, so you can move with less pain and more ease.
It is especially helpful for chronic pain, stiffness, and injuries from sport or everyday activity. Treatment is never one-size-fits-all. We adapt each technique to your body, your goals, and how you respond.
At ESPhysiotherapy, manual therapy physiotherapy is part of a wider plan that often includes exercise and acupuncture, so the relief you feel in the clinic carries over into daily life.
Do You Experience Discomfort That Just Won't Go Away?
Manual Therapy Physiotherapy in North York & North Toronto
Our team of registered physiotherapists provides manual therapy in North York and North Toronto, with treatment built around your needs. By combining hands-on techniques with exercise, we work with you to improve mobility and overall well-being.
Our Manual Therapy Process
What to expect from your first visit to your last
1. Assessment
2. Personalized Plan
3. Hands-On Treatment
4. Exercise & Education
Conditions We Treat with Manual Therapy and Physiotherapy
- Back Pain & Neck Pain: Relieve stiffness, tension, and nerve-related discomfort through targeted manual therapy and corrective exercises.
- Shoulder Pain: Treatment for rotator cuff injuries, frozen shoulder, and shoulder impingement.
- Knee Injuries: Rehab for ACL tears, post-surgical recovery, and chronic knee pain.
- Sports Injuries: Individualized programs designed to restore strength, mobility, and performance.
- Surgical Recovery: Supportive rehabilitation to improve healing and reduce pain after surgery.
- Postural Problems: Address poor alignment, muscle imbalances, and ergonomic challenges.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Manage pain, numbness, and weakness with customized therapy plans.
Experience Relief and Renewed Vitality
Enhanced Mobility: Our therapy helps improve joint and muscle function, allowing for more fluid and unrestricted movement.
Pain Reduction: Through targeted techniques, we alleviate discomfort, providing a more comfortable and pain-free experience.
Improved Well-being: Enjoy an overall boost in physical health and mental clarity, contributing to a better quality of life.
Meet Our Manual Therapists
Manual therapy is at the heart of what our clinic does. These practitioners bring years of hands-on training to every treatment.
Laura Gardonio, Hons BA (Kin), BScPT, MCPA, FCAMPT
Laura holds a Diploma in Manual and Manipulative Therapy from the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy (FCAMPT). She has been in private practice since 2003, with expertise in orthopedics, manual therapy, and sports. She pairs hands-on treatment with exercise prescription and often uses acupuncture, and she has additional training in vestibular rehabilitation.
Einat Mei-Dan, PT, BScPT, MScPT, MCPA
Einat completed post-graduate orthopedic training in manual techniques including Mulligan, as well as dry needling, KinesioTaping, and functional movement screening. She worked at the Wingate Institute's Sports Medicine Centre in Israel, including as chief physiotherapist for the Israel Olympic team at the 2012 London Games. Today she also helps teach orthopedic clinical labs in the University of Toronto's Master of Science in Physical Therapy program.
Katherine Cvornyek, Clinic Owner
Katherine owns Eisenhauer & Smith Physiotherapy and is one of the clinic's core manual therapists.
Sarah Burke (Hornby), DPT, BSc HK, MSc PT, RMT, CAFCI
Sarah is both a registered physiotherapist and a registered massage therapist. She earned her MScPT at the University of Toronto in 2004 and completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2024. Her post-graduate training includes manual therapy, Graston Technique, acupuncture, and strength and conditioning. Before joining the clinic, she owned a private orthopaedic clinic north of Toronto for 8 years.
Sameena Shaikh, Bachelor of Physical Therapy, Registered Physiotherapist
Sameena has worked in orthopedic settings, hospitals, and health clubs, and has taken courses in Mulligan manual therapy, medical acupuncture and dry needling, and clinical Pilates. Her multi-modal approach combines manual therapy with therapeutic exercise, patient education, and functional rehab built around goals you set together.
Manual Therapy Near You: Areas We Serve
ESPhysiotherapy provides in-person manual therapy to patients in North York and North Toronto, including:
- North York
- Lawrence Park
- Leaside
- Yonge & Eglinton
- Midtown Toronto
- Don Mills
- Bayview Village
- Willowdale
Hands-on techniques are delivered in the clinic. Telehealth physiotherapy is also available for follow-up care if you can't make it in.
Manual Therapy FAQs
Manual therapy is a hands-on approach where a physiotherapist uses skilled techniques to mobilize joints and work through soft tissue. The goal is to reduce pain, ease stiffness, and improve how you move. It is usually combined with exercise so the results last.
Your first visit includes a detailed movement assessment, a discussion of your goals, and a customized treatment plan designed to relieve pain and restore function. Your physiotherapist will explain which techniques suit you before treatment begins.
Manual therapy is often used for back and neck pain, shoulder pain, knee injuries, sports injuries, recovery after surgery, postural problems, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Your physiotherapist will tell you whether it is a good fit after your assessment.
Manual therapy is one part of your plan. Our team also offers exercise rehabilitation, acupuncture, vestibular rehab, and nutrition guidance, and often combines these with hands-on treatment to support recovery.
Hands-on techniques are delivered in person at the clinic. Telehealth physiotherapy is available across Ontario for assessment, guided exercises, and ongoing recovery support, and many people use both.
