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Confused about what type of therapy to use? So are many people. Clients ask me all the time about various therapies and what is beneficial, and the honest truth is that people are different. By that I mean clients bodies are different and their response to treatments vary, and because the body is so complicated there is still much we don’t know. Plus therapists themselves are different.

We are taught traditionally in our schooling a more streamlined form of therapy but as we practice and take various continuing education courses our techniques tend to blend. I have taken courses where chiropractors, and physiotherapists have been present and as we work together in multidisciplinary clinics we learn from each other.

So I’ve probably confused you more…now I will try to explain what the ultimate difference is between some of the main therapies.

Chiropractors tend to do what we call “manipulations”. This is where a controlled force is applied to the joint and put back into alignment. Typically an audible click is heard.

Physiotherapists tend to treat joint misalignment with mobilizations. This is more gradual and gentle than manipulations without the “click”. Physiotherapists also tend to work more with strengthening exercises and soft tissue release.

Massage Therapists mainly treat soft tissue restrictions and also practice joint mobilizations. Rarely do they practice manipulations unless they have more therapeutic credentials.

Osteopaths tend to do a bit of everything and are often very gentle. To be honest I have never seen a osteopath but from what I know they do very soft quick mobilizations, cranial-sacral therapy, treat organs and fascial release. They also look at emotional state and where the body may have a holding pattern.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture is again a wide variety of modalities. Acupuncture is only a component of it and can be practiced by other health professions. TCM looks at exercise, diet and the body’s energy and tissue restrictions. This includes herbal remedies and is an ancient medicine used prior to the Chinese Revolution.

Kinesiologists are an unregulated health profession and focus on exercise therapy and strengthening. The only manual therapy done are stretching techniques. They do have an association which ensures they hold a degree and complete continuing education but they have no governing board to protect the public from anyone using the title and are typically not covered under extended health care. Please ensure you are paying for an actual kinesiologist by checking with The BCAK Association .

These are very brief descriptions as we all seem to work to relieve restrictions and imbalances in the body and look for modalities in which we can restore balance structurally and functionally to our clients. Therapists can work with various manual modalities such as fascial release, cranial-sacral therapy, manipulations, muscle energy technique, joint mobilizations, stretching techniques, rib release techniques and acupuncture to name a few.

Chiropractic and Physiotherapists can also incorporate electro-therapeutic modalities.

Whatever therapy you choose it is important that you trust the therapist themselves rather than just their title. Ask what type of continuing education they focus on and you will get a better idea of how they treat. Again, some therapies are more effective according to the ailment and the client as a whole so don’t be afraid to ask for guidance from your current therapist. Therapists are encouraged to refer if they believe other modalities would be more effective.

Caroline Iwasaki, RMT