Manual Therapy & Stretching

Manual therapy is helpful for the treatment of joints and muscles that lack adequate mobility and range of motion. This limitation can cause discomfort, pain, and an alteration in function, posture, and mobility. It is a specialized form of massage therapy delivered with the hands and is used to assess and mobilize joints, joint capsules, etc. When combined with soft tissue stretching, it improves joint range of motion and decreases soft tissue pain. We have a wealth of experience in manual treatment of the conditions listed below. Careful consideration is taken with the development of combined treatment approach for fast and positive outcome. Corrective exercises training is available in combination to your manual treatments for additional charge. Ask us for a therapeutic combo session.

Upper and Low Back Pain

According to the National Institute of Neurological disorders and stroke there is a vast majority of causes for back pain.

These could be one or a combination of a couple of the following conditions: ligament strains, muscle sprains from twisting or lifting something heavy improperly, intervertebral disk degeneration, herniated or ruptured disk, compression and/or inflammation of the spinal nerve root, sciatica, slipping of a lumber vertebra out of place, traumatic injuries from falling and injuring a tendon, playing sports, as well as car accidents, spinal stenosis, scoliosis and other abnormal skeletal irregularities.

In very rare occasions low back pain could be caused by tumors, infections, abdominal aortic aneurysms, kidney stones. There are a number of underlying conditions that create predisposition for low back pain like arthritis, spondylitis, osteoporosis, endometriosis, fibromilagia, etc. There are risk factors, of course, associated with developing upper and lower back pain like:

Age – people between 30-55 have greater chances of developing low back pain as the intervertebral disks fluid is becoming less and they lose their flexibility

Scoliosis – Scoliosis is diagnosed by a doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist. There are a few types of scoliosis: idiopathic scoliosis – developed in the teenage year; functional scoliosis – developed later in life due to different postural imbalances. Symptoms include pain in different areas of the back, hip, neck.

Our combined therapeutic approach for scoliosis duffers from the regular manual therapy due to the C-shaped or S-shaped spine in scoliosis cases. During this therapy specific muscles, that cause the pain will be targeted to reduce your pain. Then depending on the convex/ concave curve appropriate stretching will be applied.

Due to the shape of the S-spine, scoliosis compresses certain internal organs and nerves in the spinal column, which results in decreased vision, hearing, leg length discrepancy and pain. Suffer no more and improve your posture. Schedule your manual therapy today!

Fitness level – low back pain is more common in people with low physical activity habits.

Pregnancy – is accompanied by low back pain due to the alterations in the pelvis.

Obesity – puts extra load on low back pain structures.

Occupational injuries – some jobs require lifting, pushing and pulling heavy objects on a daily basis, which dramatically increase the risks of developing low back pain, as well as jobs requiring prolongated sitting in front of computer without the adequate low back support.

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Neck Pain

CONDITIONS TREATED: Headaches, Neck Pain, Forward head posture

Neck pain may have multiple causative factors including muscle tendon or ligament injury, cervical disc degeneration, herniated disk, arthritis, congenital abnormalities. Symptoms include sharp, stiff or burning pain that may or may not radiate down the arms.

One of the root causes is poor postural habits. Our combined approach include manual therapy of all of the involved structures, as well as client focused corrective exercise training to improve posture and to decrease pain.

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Shoulder Pain

CONDITIONS TREATED: Rotator cuff, Frozen Shoulder, Tendinopathy,

The term “rotator cuff” refers to four muscles of the shoulder that help to support the shoulder joint during rest and movement. These group of muscles attach the shoulder blade and upper arm bone, and keep the arm bone against the shoulder socket.

Shoulder muscles and tendons can be injured during repetitive movements in sports activities like swimming, baseball, tennis, or with any prolonged overhead movement, or with a sudden injury such as a fall. In an overuse injury, the soft tissues may start to fray, often caused by repeated activities. A tear can be partial or complete, with the muscle being torn into two pieces.

Symptoms of a shoulder injuries can include shoulder pain, stiffness, and weakness. You may have difficulty raising the arm overhead or lifting objects, especially above shoulder height. Activities like getting dressed, combing/washing your hair may even be difficult. Sleeping also can be limited because of shoulder pain.

While recovering from shoulder injuries, you may need to avoid activities that are repeated or painful, such as swimming or playing tennis. Manual therapy and corrective exercises can help you learn how to keep the shoulder moving while protecting the healing tissues with activities for stretching, strengthening, and healthy posture.

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Knee Pain

CONDITIONS TREATED: Muscle Strain, Patellar Tendonitis, Patellofemoral Syndrome, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Total Knee Arthroplasty manual therapy

Knee pain may have many causes: ruptured ligament, a muscle strain, or medical conditions like obesity, arthritis, gout, infections, pain after knee replacement, etc. Sometimes pain may be caused by swelling of tissue around the knee. Diagnosis by a medical professional is necessary prior to treatment.

If it is diagnosed that root cause is soft-tissue injury, then massage and manual therapy is indicated. We can design the best manual treatment, accompanied by personalized therapeutic exercises routine that will make you feel pain-free.

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Jaw Pain

CONDITIONS TREATED: Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ/ TMD), Bruxism

TMD can occur secondary to multiple causative factors including injury, trauma to the temporomandibular joint, congenital abnormalities, arthritis, dislocation, disc degeneration or stress. Risk factors include chewing on one side, eating tough food, clenching, and grinding teeth. Habits of gum chewing and nail biting may increase the incidence of TMJ.

TMD symptoms include pain (persistent or recurring), muscle spasm, abnormal or limited joint motion, headache, and tinnitus. These symptoms can appear either on one side of the jaw, or on both sides. The usual complain is a feeling or hearing a “clicking or popping” sound with motion at the TMJ.

Our combined approach will be focused toward decreasing of the symptoms with manual therapy and therapeutic exercises.

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Arm Pain

CONDITIONS TREATED: Bursitis, Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer’s Elbow), Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow), Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Cervical Radiculopathy

Arm pain may have multiple causative factors like repetitive movements, injury or fractures. Symptoms include pain, discomfort or stiffness of in the elbow, wrist or fingers. Our combined therapeutic approach will be focused toward decreasing of the symptoms with manual therapy and therapeutic exercises.

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Pregnancy Massage Therapy

CONDITIONS TREATED: Sciatica, Low back Pain, Neck pain

Low back pain, neck pain , and Sciatica are common conditions during pregnancy. Symptoms include pain and discomfort during daily activities in the low back area, which sometimes may radiate down one of the extremities. Our specialized therapeutic approach takes specialized approach toward future mom-to-be considering all major contraindications and proper positioning for pregnancy. Post-partum treatments also available.

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Sports Massage Therapy

CONDITIONS TREATED: Golfer’s elbow, Tennis elbow, Iliotibial and Iliofemoral Syndrome, Shoulder pain etc.

Symptoms include pain at different joints like knee, elbow, shoulder due to repetitive motion during sports activities. Our therapeutic approach includes personalized assessment of symptoms, followed by specialized manual therapy and stretching.

ADD-ONS: You can add corrective exercise training to your manual sessions for additional charge. Ask us for rates and availability. Virtual training sessions available.

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Therapeutic Combo session (120 min)

At our Evanston clinical massage practice we offer a combined therapeutic treatment of any condition above, including manual therapy and correcting exercises training on site. Ask us for rates and availability.

  • Manual therapy is a discipline guided by science.
  • Our treatments are hands-on to achieve the best results.
  • We take a tailored approach, with individualized treatments.

Our Clients Say

Jon AckJon Ack
19:40 12 Aug 24
Great
Tess RichardsTess Richards
03:34 15 Feb 24
I was in town for a week and found Maya when searching for therapists around Evanston that can do MLD massage. She had an opening for me that worked with my limited schedule. I have gotten MLD massages before and I was very impressed with Maya’s approach and technique. I’ve never felt so relaxed after MLD before! After the massage, she gave me some fantastic advice to help a few things that I am dealing with. I appreciate her expertise and passion, and I will absolutely rebook with her next time I am in town. Thank you, Maya!!
Daniel BleierDaniel Bleier
22:23 22 Jan 24
Maya is an extremely knowledgeable and helpful massage therapist. I highly recommend her.
Kalin MarinovKalin Marinov
19:31 05 Mar 23
Great spot for massage. Got a deep tissue massage. That's probably the best massage parlor in Evanston and Maya is a great masseuse.
Scott SiegelScott Siegel
00:54 23 Aug 22
Maya is amazing! I had been suffering from back pain for over a week and needed to get back to golfing and exercising. Luckily for me, Maya was able to fit me in the day I called. After an hour and a half appointment which included an hour and a quarter massage, I felt like she addressed every sore and tight part of my body. I left the appointment feeling great while acknowledging her advice that I might experience soreness for 48 hours. Knowing that I was taking a risk, I headed directly for the driving range where I felt significant soreness and stiffness in the area of my back Maya treated. After 10 minutes of stretching and gentle practice swings, I started hitting golf balls. At first, my shots were abysmal, but as I continued to practice, my shots improved and all soreness disappeared. I’m not sure if the 2 ibuprofen tablets I took when I arrived at the driving range helped, but I can honestly say that almost four hours later I still have no pain or stiffness, and I look forward to 18 holes of golf tomorrow morning with great positivity. Thank you Maya! I will be back for preventative care!
Maya PetrovaMaya Petrova
19:52 20 Aug 22
Maya is an amazing massage therapist. I have recently taken my mom to her for some well needed relaxing massage. May went above and beyond - she didn’t just simply perform the massage on my mom, she also coached her about her posture, gave her several props for free that mom can use at home and shared websites where mom could continue to understand how to better her posture and health. Above all, in one hour spent together, mom and Maya connected so well as if they had known each other for years. That made mom at ease having her massage (she typically is quite worrisome by someone unknown touching her :)). Thank you, Maya. We highly recommend you to anyone who is of need of massage and education for better personal health.
Geri NeychevaGeri Neycheva
23:33 11 Nov 19
We love visiting Maya! Her skills are beyond amazing. Either for my shoulders, or my husband’s back, she is great in fixing your body. Not to mention that everything is very clean, we love the oils and lotions she works with! That was a big plus for us! We highly recommend her for either relaxing or terapheutical massage!
Mariya ZabaMariya Zaba
12:57 04 Oct 19
Maya is the best massage therapist I have ever had. I have used her services for many years now and what makes her stand out is really her personable approach and the importance of results for her - she asks a lot of questions before she starts working with you so she can understand what is the best massage therapy for your body. Also, when in town my mother always schedules appointment/s with Maya as well.
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