Manual Physical Therapy

After graduating with his physical therapy degree from the University of Maryland at Baltimore in 1980, Bill Amos has spent the last 43 years in post graduate studies in learning a wide variety of hands-on techniques:

Strain and Counterstrain from the Jones Institute, Myofascial Release, spinal manipulation, Muscle Energy Technique, Zero Balancing, Mulligan technique, Butler technique for excess neural tissue tension, Functional Orthopedics from the Institute of Physical Art, joint mobilization and manipulation, Cranio-Sacral therapy from the Upledger Institute and since the early 1990’s numerous classes from the Integrative Manual Therapy team.

Bill has worked in almost every type of setting in physical therapy: home care, nursing homes, hospitals, shock-trauma, in-patient, as well as out-patient settings. He brings all that experience with him to the practice at ANMC.

Bill prefers an eclectic approach to treatment. He describes it as having “lots of tools in the toolbox. If one approach doesn’t work, I’ll try another until I can figure out the problem, then correct that problem – not just treat the symptom.”  Beyond working on backs, necks, arms and legs, Bill also works well on headaches, foot problems, TMJ, dizziness, and some neurological diagnoses such as cerebral palsy and Parkinsonism. Bill says he will treat all of you!

He feels that his hands are his primary tools and that most people who sit on his table are primarily stiff and tight. These problems stem from muscles that are in spasm — they are turned on and unable to turn off to allow normal movement. He believes that if you release the muscles first, then you can look for weaknesses and other problems and correct them more cleanly than just get everything to make everything strong, stronger and STRONGER. Sometimes making everything strong is not the right answer. He’s looking for the answer to YOUR problem.

Bill has also written a case study describing the successful use of these same orthopedic techniques on cerebral palsy patients.

Bill is a decorated 2 tour Viet Nam veteran and has taught juggling and Tai Chi.