FUNCTIONAL MANUAL THERAPY® (FMT)

Get Functional Manual Therapy® from a Certified Functional Manual Therapist (CFMT) in San Marino, CA

What is Functional Manual Therapy® (FMT)?

Functional Manual Therapy® (FMT) is manual therapy that looks at the human movement system in a 3-dimensional manner. It is a constant evaluation and treatment of the human movement system using the 3-pillars of the FMT paradigm:

1. Mechanical capacity

2. Neuromuscular function

3. Motor control

It looks beyond normative values and keeps an eye on the innate human potential instead. Breakthroughs in the development of FMT were made by working with professional dancers, runners, and complex cases. Because of this “out of the box” thinking, problems were solved brilliantly and in curious ways. FMT is a full-body approach to treating the body’s tissues and neuromuscular system to promote functional efficiency.

Mechanical Capacity

Its mechanical treatment is end-feel directed rather than solely on position, motion, and symmetry. FMT was developed under the principles of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). So, the treatment sessions literally feel like dancing and flowing to help make our patients better.

Mechanical capacity is evaluated and treated with our trained hands, which makes mobilizations laser-specific rather than passive mobilizations of laying supine on the treatment table. This is why we say we’re doing something WITH you rather than something happening TO you. FMPs reveal the exact motion and position directly affecting the specific region in question. Physical therapy diagnosis and treatment become fast and seamless and create immediate results.

Neuromuscular Function

The second pillar, neuromuscular function, uses our hands to activate very specific fibers of the core rather than requiring multiple physical therapy visits and 1-hour long home program with multiple repetitions and conscious mental effort to isolate specific fibers with weights and bands for weeks on end.

Because PNF is like dancing and integrating with the innate human system, its effectiveness is exceptional--thus faster--at diagnosing and treating initiation, strength, endurance, and elongation of the deep core, getting results quicker and safer.

Motor Control

Motor control is the final pillar of the FMT approach. Our hands and observation skills continuously use PNF principles to treat the movements you care about. We take specific movements that do not look and feel right, treat out the mechanical dysfunctions, restore the neuromuscular function with PNF and FMPs, and apply it back to the motor control system, revealing effortless movement that just seems to magically flow with the rest of the human system. This final pillar is where prescriptive exercise can become highly beneficial to help you get the results you need.

What is a Certified Functional Manual Therapist (CFMT)?

A Certified Functional Manual Therapist (CFMT) is a physical therapist who has truly gone above and beyond the average peer.  Many years of studying, attending courses, traveling, sacrificing the attendance of family anniversaries and birthdays, time away from work, and money were all invested to prepare to qualify to sit for an arduous 1-week examination to demonstrate excellence.  This examination occurs only once a year, which includes extensive and thorough written and oral exams in up to 10 subjects.  Aside from gaining validation for their technical application and understanding of the Functional Manual Therapy® (FMT) approach in front of the directors and founders of the Institute of Physical Art, a CFMT also made a commitment to serving their patients through the of the "Art of the Hand" and the gift of touch.  They are humbly "one of the few" that make amazing and positive changes in the lives of their patients with their hands.

When it comes to physical therapists using their hands to evaluate and treat one's functional capacity, CFMT'rs are the best in the physical therapy industry.  We at Total Potential want you to know that you were totally worth the journey.  And we hope that you can experience the change that you deserve to have in your body with us.  All the time training, time away from family, etc. you were worth the sacrifice.  At Total Potential, the heart of servitude and gratitude is the type of clinical office that we want to provide to you and our patients.

At Total Potential, a heart of servitude and gratitude is the type of clinical office we want to provide you and all our patients.

Total Potential serves physical therapy patients in the City of San Marino.