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What Makes Our Techniques Effective?
Osteopathic Joint Mobilization
A joint is the point at which two or more bones connect to create motion. When a manual osteopath uses pressure to move joint surfaces through their ranges of motion, it is considered mobilization (not to be confused with adjustment, which usually includes a thrust and subsequent 'popping' sound). Mobilization has been shown to increase joint mobility and provide pain relief by relieving unnatural pressure on the nerves and muscles. Patients often report the sensation of 'feel-good pain' during mobilization.
Muscle Energy Technique
In many cases of pain and injury, tight muscles and body stiffness prevent the body from healing. In these situations, passive stretching (where the practitioner does all the work) has limited effectiveness as the body is unable to relax and allow for full range of motion to occur. Muscle energy techniques solve this issue through inhibition of the tense muscle. When a muscle is first contracted against a force, the contraction elicits a response from the muscle's tendon to reduce tension and allow the muscle to be stretched effectively.
Soft Tissue Therapy
When the body develops restrictions such as inflammation or spasm, the underlying soft tissue structures lose function and become stiff. Examples of these structures include: muscle, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and blood vessels. The light and deep pressures that osteopathy uses to assess and release the soft tissue not only increases dopamine, serotonin, and endorphin release throughout the body, but also reduces tension that may prevent pain relief from occurring.
Visceral Osteopathy
Many people present with musculoskeletal symptoms of pain and discomfort, but oftentimes, these issues are made worse by dysfunction of our organs and viscera. Osteopathy takes a deeper look into the body by assessing mobility and motility of the: stomach, liver, diaphragm, kidneys, intestines, pancreas, spleen, bladder, and uterus. Manipulation of the inner organs and viscera has been shown to correct fascial restrictions in the abdomen, which improves: motion of associated joints, blood flow, emotional stress, and pain relief.
Cranial Osteopathy
The spinal bones and cranial bones all present with a subtle and unique motion that occurs with the body's natural rhythm. Manual osteopaths undergo training to become sensitive to this rhythm in order to assess the function of the axial skeleton (skull and spine), and its contents (nerves and cerebrospinal fluid). Cranial techniques are used to restore the mobility of cranial and spinal bones, alleviating symptoms of nerve dysfunction related to pain, and improving circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, which is responsible for removing waste products from the brain.
Positional Release Technique
When a dysfunctional area is brought towards its position of ease, we refer to the motion as 'indirect', since it does not involve any direct pressures or painful end-feel. Once this position is achieved, tenderness diminishes completely, creating a comfortable position that is held for 90 seconds. Positional release technique creates the sensation of lengthening and relaxation in the muscles, which decreases muscle tone, and reduces initial pain and tenderness by 70-100%. Patients often describe the sensation as 'magical' due to its fast acting effect.