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Manual Therapy encompasses the treatment of health ailments of various etiologies through 'hands-on', physical intervention.

This form of physical treatment usually refers to hands-on techniques and includes soft tissue mobilization, various connective tissue techniques, myofascial release, craniosacral techniques, mobilization of joints, joint manipulation, mobilization of neural tissue, visceral mobilization, strain and counterstrain, and Integrative Manual Therapy.

Korr (1978) described manual therapy as the "Application of an accurately determined and specifically directed manual force to the body, in order to improve mobility in areas that are restricted; in joints, in connective tissues or in skeletal muscles."

In Western Europe, North America and Australasia, manual therapy is usually practiced by members of health care professions (e.g. Chiropractors, Physiotherapists/Physical Therapists, Osteopaths, Physiatrists). However, some lay practitioners (not members of a structured profession), such as bonesetters and massage therapists, also provide some forms of manual therapy.

A survey released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine focused on who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), what was used, and why it was used in the United States by adults age 18 years and over during 2002. According to this recent survey, manipulative therapy was the 3rd most commonly used NCCAM classification of CAM categories (10.9%) in the United States during 2002 ([1] table 4 on page 10) when all use of prayer was excluded. Consistent with previous studies, this study found that the majority of individuals (i.e., 54.9%) used CAM in conjunction with conventional medicine (page 6).

There are many different styles of manual therapy. It is a fundamental feature of ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and some forms of New Age alternative medicine as well as being used by mainstream medical practitioners. In one form or another it is probably as old as human culture itself and is a feature to some degree of therapeutic interactions in traditional cultures around the world. It may rely partially upon the placebo effect and can be effective in providing both short and long term relief.

Different forms of manipulative therapy are available to choose from:

• Acupressure
• Anma
• Body work
• Bone setting
• Bowen Technique
• Dorn method
• Integrative Manual Therapy
• Joint manipulation
• Joint mobilization
• Spinal manipulation
• Spinal mobilization
• Manual Chelation Therapy
• Massage therapy
• Medical acupuncture
• Myofascial Release (MFR)
• Naprapathy
• Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy
• Osteopathy
• Reflex Point Therapy
• Rolfing
• Seitai
• Shiatsu
• Sports Massage Therapy
• Traction
• Tui na
• Zheng Gu or Chinese bone setting

• Acupuncture
• AMTA
• AOBTA
• Body Psychotherapy
• Chiropractic
• Fascial Manipulation
• Osteopathy
• Physical Therapy
• Integrative Manual Therapy
• Qigong
• The Burnham Review

• Karel Lewit (1999). Manipulative therapy in rehabilitation of the locomotor system. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-2964-9. 

• American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia

• The Burnham Review - Evidence Based Medicine for Manual Therapy and Complementary Medicine