The Maitland® Concept relates to manual therapy in the initial and ongoing treatment of functional disorders in the joint, muscle and nervous system. The use of Maitland® Concept techniques is based on clinical reasoning and also takes the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) into account.

What makes the Concept special is the combination of the individual and specific treatment of the patient (both initial and ongoing) with the therapist’s clinical experience and the latest scientific findings. In addition to joint mobilisation and manipulation of the extremities and spine, the Concept makes use of neurodynamic techniques, muscle stretching, stabilising exercises and specifically adapted exercises the patient can do at home.
The Maitland® Concept belongs to the field of Manual Therapy, a special form of physiotherapy. This type of therapy/concept is principally concerned with the specific examination and treatment of pain and problems in the musculoskeletal system.

As the term “manual therapy” suggests, a “hands-on” approach is taken. The technique allows a problem with the spine, for example, to be mobilised and treated locally and separately. Manual techniques can also be used directly on joints such as the hip, knee and shoulder, allowing movement restrictions and pain to be positively influenced.

Manual therapy can help with the following ailments:

• back and disc complaints
• neck and cervical spine problems
• arthritis e.g. in the hip, knee or spine
• facial pain, headaches and mandibular problems
• nerve irritation such as hands “falling asleep”, sciatica
• knee pain, e.g. as a result of a ligament injury or meniscus damage
• elbow problems, such as tennis elbow
• complaints relating to the hand, e.g. as a result of a fracture or carpal tunnel syndrome
• foot problems, e.g. following a torn ligament

Manual therapy can also help with treatment following an operation or sports injury as well as with workplace design and advice relating to sports activities and movement analyses.

Treatment always begins by carrying out a comprehensive survey of your day-to-day ailments. Your description of the problem is very important to us. A precise physical examination is then conducted to determine the reason for your problems. Examination of a shoulder problem might also lead to an examination of your cervical spine, ribs and thoracic spine.

The examination will take specific account of your problem, especially with regard to its intensity.

Ongoing treatment is specifically based upon this examination. The problems we detect are treated using specially selected methods,
Including, for example.:

• manual joint mobilisation
• techniques designed to achieve better flexibility of nerve tissue
• muscle stretching and/or muscle strengthening
• an explanation of the circumstances giving rise to the problem, in order to ensure that treatment remains successful in the longer term
• training in day-to-day or specific sports-related movement sequences
• home-based exercises and guidance on self-help

Your therapist will carry out regular checks to ensure that these measures achieve the best possible effect. This approach seeks to enable the greatest possible treatment success to be achieved within a short period of time.
We make every effort to expand our own experience by taking account of new scientific findings, with a view to providing you with effective treatment designed to suit your individual circumstances.

The Manual Therappist which was developed by our partner Mr George Tentzerakis is an application which concerns physiotherapists and manual therapists and it is based on clinical reasoning that was developed from Geoffrey Douglas Maitland.