In New Zealand, manual therapy is often interpreted as manual manipulation (as practiced by chiropractors) or as passive joint mobilisation, following the Maitland school of thought. However, in Hong Kong and many other parts of the world, manual therapy is a broader term referring to any hands-on treatment where a therapist uses their hands to mobilise, guide, or facilitate movement of a patient’s body. This includes techniques used in PNF, McKenzie, Mulligan, and Schroth scoliosis therapy, Kinesio manual glide, among others.
During undergraduate physiotherapy training, most practitioners learn Maitland passive joint mobilisation, which is commonly regarded as manual therapy within the New Zealand physiotherapy community.
If clinically indicated—such as when your joints are structurally stiff or misaligned—manual therapy and passive mobilisation may be applied to help restore proper alignment, improve movement, and reduce discomfort.