Our Technology

Integrative Manual Therapy has a rich history of growth and progress since it's inception in the 1970’s by Sharon (Weiselfish) Giammatteo, Ph.D. P.T. This non-invasive modality is based on the human body's ability to self-correct and heal. Our work facilitates this self-healing process while embracing the medical motto of "First do no harm". The best thing that we can do for our clients is to restore the various systems of the body to optimal functionality and then allow the body to heal itself.

IMT is built on the philosophy of the Integrated Systems Approach—the concept that each client’s body must be evaluated and treated uniquely, as a series of interdependent systems. The clinical process begins with Integrative Diagnostics—a manual diagnostics technology used to localize the source and exact site of the contributing patho-anatomy.

The results of the Integrative Diagnostics process are the foundation for developing a plan for rehabilitation which is organized into a treatment plan format. The treatment plan addresses the specific body systems that require attention via IMT techniques. IMT uses protocols designed for rehabilitation. These protocols are aimed at producing optimal functioning of each of the body's component systems. Established treatment protocols help maximize the speed of recovery through efficient and effective integration of IMT skills. They are comprised of many combinations of individual modular techniques.
Within the umbrella of IMT, there are over ten thousand different techniques that achieve different functional outcomes.

IMT addresses rehabilitation in two categories-- Structural Rehabilitation and Functional Rehabilitation.

Structural Rehabilitation improves structural integrity of the body. It addresses joint mobility, muscle tone, soft tissue flexibility, range of motion, muscle control and more. It corrects patho-anatomy in biomechanics of the spine and appendages, muscles, connective tissue system, organs, nervous system, blood vessels, lymphatic system and energetic structures.

Functional Rehabilitation restores functional outcomes according to the optimal potential of the client. It addresses balance, coordination, proprioception (internal joint sensation), exteroception (sensory capability), strength, endurance, hearing, vision, speech, smell, learning, behavior and more.

Structural Rehabilitation corrects anatomic dysfunction and influences physiology. It creates the potential for function. Functional Rehabilitation optimizes the patient's utilization of this function. The relationship between Structural and Functional Rehabilitation can be illustrated in the following analogy. Think of a child playing the piano. If the piano is out of tune, the music will sound poor. Even if the child is a master prodigy of the piano, if the piano is out of tune, the music will still sound poor because the structural integrity of the piano is lacking. It is always more efficient and effective to treat structure first—to tune the piano. Once the piano is tuned, the potential for good music is there but the child may require some lessons. These lessons are Functional Rehabilitation. This Functional Rehabilitation will help the child to reach his/her potential in creating beautiful music.