Manual osteopathic therapy addresses structural problems in the body. The goal of the therapist is to find and release obstructions of movement and circulation so that the natural healing mechanisms of the body can do their work.
Using a refined sense of palpation, and a scientific knowledge base of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics, the therapist looks for blockages, tension lines, and excessive movements to find the cause of the symptoms.
For example, suppose the symptom is a sore elbow. Why is it painful? There are a variety of possibilities, such as (but not limited to):
- Direct injury
- Restriction of movement at the wrist or shoulder causing increased strain at the elbow
- A problem at the neck, perhaps due to an old whiplash, or a history of respiratory problems, or poor posture.
It is the osteopathic therapist’s job to consider the possibilities and evaluate what might be affecting each unique individual.
Osteopathic therapy is a complementary, rather than alternative, form of therapy. It is not a replacement for medical treatment, and acute problems should always be seen by a physician first.
The first school of osteopathy opened in the USA in 1892, started by Dr. A.T. Still. Dr. Still was frustrated by the poor results achieved by the primitive medicines of his day, and decided to take a different approach. He viewed the body as a mechanism, and the osteopath as a mechanic. His goal was to find health in his patients by releasing the barriers to healing. His philosophy has spread, and now osteopaths can be found throughout the western world.
Contact Belleville Osteopathy to book an assessment.
What is Fascia?
Approximately one third of your body weight is fascia.
Fascia is also called ‘connective tissue’, which is a good description of its function in the body. Fascia wraps body structures like muscles and blood vessels, bone and organs. It forms strong tendons and ligaments, and delicate membranes, and strong sheets of tissue. It divides, merges, and folds back on itself in a continuous network of fibres and fluids. Fascia is the conduit for nerves, blood and lymphatic vessels.
Fascia not only wraps the muscles, it surrounds each individual muscle fibre within the larger muscle and works to coordinate the different muscles to create smooth movement in the body.
Because of its continuity throughout the body, a restriction in one part of the fascia can affect other body parts.