What exactly is manual therapy in the field of physical therapy? What role does it play in patient recovery? Is it critical for physical therapists to possess it in their skill arsenal? To put in perspective, the science and art of manual therapy, or manipulative therapy, has been around in Europe dating back to 400 BC. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used manual therapy primarily to treat scoliosis. This treatment model has historical roots and was used around the world. However, it was not until the 19th century that manual therapy began to gain widespread consideration as a formal mode of therapy. How is manual therapy defined? Manual therapy is…