Techniques in osteopathy | ОстеоМед Практика по Остеопатия

Techniques and approaches used in osteopathy

Osteopaths are trained in a range of techniques to address many structures in the body. Your osteopath can work on your muscles, ligaments, joints, fascia, organs, as well as the nervous, lymphatic and circulatory systems.

Osteopathic treatment is not just aimed at pain relief, but also at correction, prevention and optimal health. Treatment plans are honed to your specific requirements – physique, biotype, sensitivity, as well as your wants and expectations. This means a treatment plan is specific to you and your needs.

Osteopaths merge osteopathic examination and treatment with orthopaedic and general medical screening, and rehabilitation techniques, which is in conjunction with mainstream medicine. Thus the patient gets a comprehensive examination based on osteopathic and orthopaedic approaches, and a treatment that is based on integrating all the systems to optimal health.

Preventative and maintenance treatment is also very important in osteopathic health-care – to maintain good health and prevent injury and recurrence of problems, and avoid injury. This is achieved by increasing the tissues mobility and perfusion, so your body is able to better perform its physiological functions so you can be more optimally healthy.

Your treatment plan may combine any of the following osteopathic approaches:

Structural treatments are based on soft tissue and manipulation techniques. Soft tissue work can include massage, muscle energy techniques, balancing ligamentus tension, and myofascial work. Manipulation may include joint articulation, mobilisation and traction of joints. There are many studies that demonstrate that these techniques work for low back and neck pain, as well as for post-operative hip and knee rehabilitation.

Visceral treatment uses soft tissue techniques to address functional and structural restrictions that can occur within your viscera (internal organs).

The ligamentus and fascial attachments of the viscera to the musculoskeletal system can become restricted from bad posture or injury. Tension patterns from visceral restriction will lead to reduced mobility within the abdominal and pelvic structures. This can lead to problems with the function of different internal organs.

Thermal imaging studies have correlated restrictions that an osteopath feels to changes in thermal output. Studies show that visceral treatment helps with post-operative adhesions, pain perception, back pain, and renal mobility.

Cranial and functional techniques work with the subtle movements and restrictions of the body. With a gentle and supportive approach to restriction, cranial and functional techniques aim to allow tensions to subside at a rate that matches your neurological and circulatory systems. In this way the outcome is at a rate that your body can handle, and no treatment is forced.

The movements felt by osteopaths during cranial have been linked to Traube-Hering-Mayer waves (cyclic changes in the arterial pressure), vasomotor changes, and fluid dynamics within muscles and joints, and the brain & spinal cord. Benefits of cranial includes reduction in headaches, migraines, visual disturbance, and pain; as well as tempero-mandibular joint, back and neck pain.