Which of the following is an indication for manual therapy?

• A. Acute sprains/strains
• B. Decrease pain
• C. Unhealed fractures
• D. Blood clot

Answer: (B)

Pain relief is the main reason to use manual therapy. By applying gentle joint mobilizations or soft tissue techniques, we can modulate pain through mechanisms like activating mechanoreceptors, dampening nociceptive input, and reducing muscle guarding. This pain reduction helps the patient participate more fully in movements and therapeutic exercises, which is essential for progressing rehab. In contrast, manual therapy isn’t appropriate in the presence of an acute injury needing inflammation control, unhealed fractures that require immobilization, or a blood clot, where the risks (worsening inflammation, displacement, or embolism) outweigh any potential benefit. That’s why decreasing pain stands out as the best indication among these choices.