The Hendrickson Method: Safe, Gentle, Effective Manual Therapy
The Hendrickson Method is an advanced system of manual therapy designed to reduce pain, restore movement, and support whole-body balance. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, this approach addresses how muscles, joints, and soft tissues work together as an integrated system.
Used by massage therapists, chiropractors, and physical therapists worldwide, the Hendrickson Method is effective for a wide range of conditions, including chronic muscular pain, joint stiffness, sports injuries, headaches, and movement limitations. Treatment is adaptable, gentle, and appropriate for people of all ages and activity levels.
What Makes the Hendrickson Method Unique
Pain Relief and Functional Improvement. The primary goals of the Hendrickson Method are to reduce pain and improve functional movement. The work addresses muscle imbalances, joint restrictions, and soft-tissue dysfunction while also supporting nervous system regulation. Instead of solely focusing on isolated problem areas, treatment considers how the body moves, compensates, and adapts as a whole.
By combining multiple manual therapy techniques into a cohesive system, the method allows treatment to remain gentle while still producing meaningful, lasting results.
Wave-like Movements:. A signature feature of this method is Wave Mobilization®—a soft, rhythmic mobilization technique developed by Dr. Tom Hendrickson. These gentle, oscillating movements relax tight tissue, improve circulation, help hydrate joints, unwind restrictions, and encourage mobility—all without forcing or heavy pressure.
By introducing gentle, repeated movement through joints and surrounding tissues, Wave Mobilization® supports the natural exchange of fluids that joints rely on for nourishment and ease. This allows mobility to improve without pushing the body beyond its comfort zone.
Joint Mobilizations. Joint mobilization in the Hendrickson Method builds naturally on the wave-based work. Through careful, gentle movement of joints throughout the body, the method helps restore proper mechanics, improve range of motion, support nervous system integration, and encourage healthy joint hydration.
These mobilizations are purposeful and controlled rather than forceful. Using precise, rhythmic motion, joint mobilization helps reduce stiffness, improve joint function, and re-establish ease of movement in areas such as the spine, hips, shoulders, and extremities.
Active Engagement. The Hendrickson Method also incorporates Muscle Energy Technique, allowing the client to actively participate in the session. MET uses gentle, guided muscle contractions followed by relaxation to help reset muscle tone, improve joint alignment, and restore balance across structures and between opposing muscle groups.
This approach works with the nervous system rather than against it. By using the body’s own effort and feedback, MET can often reduce pain quickly, decrease protective muscle guarding, improve coordination, and support more efficient movement patterns. This helps stabilize the gains made through joint and soft-tissue work, making results more functional and long-lasting.
Holistic Approach. The Hendrickson Method functions as an integrated system rather than a series of isolated techniques. Wave Mobilization® plays a central role by addressing tissue restrictions and tone while supporting nervous system regulation, helping create adaptability and ease throughout the body. Joint mobilization builds on this foundation by restoring proper movement and mechanics within specific joints, while continuing to support nervous system regulation and overall joint function.
Muscle Energy Technique further prepares the nervous system, tissues, and joints, and also helps actively integrate the changes made during the session. By engaging the client’s neuromuscular system, MET supports coordination, stability, and the ability to maintain these improvements through more efficient movement patterns.