Meet Our Myofascial Specialist: Lloyd Chung

Lloyd Chung, RMT, is a 16 year specialist of myofascial release and cranial sacral Massage Therapy, recently adding Manual Osteopathy to his growing repertoire. He graduated from the Grant MacEwan College Massage Therapy program in June 2002 and became a member of the MTAA in 2003. Recently, Lloyd took a course at the National Manual Osteopathic College and is finishing his practical hours to become a Manual Osteopath.

Lloyd believes that massage should be seen as a tool that everybody should use to prevent pain and injury and maintain a healthier lifestyle, not just as a quick fix for pain and injuries.  He also believes that a therapeutic or deep tissue massage can be relaxing and doesn’t necessarily need to be painful. Manual Osteopathy will allow Lloyd to continue on his path of gently guiding and correcting the body towards less pain and better health.

Lloyd understands the unique nature of a client’s circumstance and health history. He is adept with adapting treatments to a client’s needs and comfort, working with an intuitive nature, but also applying orthopedic assessments for confirmation. Lloyd takes the time to explain his findings to support clients by helping them understand themselves more.

When Lloyd isn’t working or spending time with his wife, son and daughter, he enjoys playing trombone with the Festival City Winds or relaxing with a good book.

Lloyd is providing Manual Osteopathic Massage Therapy appointments as he completes the last of his qualification’s practical hours. These appointments are billed as Massage Therapy, and offer Manual Osteopathic theory and techniques at a discounted rate!

Manual Osteopathy: Health Care for the Whole Body

MANUAL OSTEOPATHY

The study of alignment, form and function, Manual Osteopathy is an advanced form of manual therapy using a range of techniques, such as joint mobilization, myofascial release, and soft tissue manipulation, to unwind the body and reset the nervous system.

The therapist assesses areas with postural problems, pain symptoms, compounded tension, weakness, and adhesions to address a variety of issues like joint and muscle pain, neural and organ dysfunction, limited range of motion, poor circulation, misalignment, and digestive issues.

This gentle therapy was developed to treat the body as a whole, because the body works and moves as a unit! Underlying issues are addressed to treat any compensation patterns that may be contributing to a chief complaint.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

In practice, a Manual Osteopath assesses the whole body, not limiting the examination and treatment to just the chief complaint. A Manual Osteopath takes in to account any reported symptoms of pain, discomfort or imbalance. For example, if a client is complaining of knee pain, the Manual Osteopath will assess the form and function of the knee, but will also look for any contributing factors within the body that may be a result or cause of dysfunction in the knee.
 
Once the Manual Osteopath has assessed the whole body they will use a combination of techniques, such as joint articulation, myofascial release, visceral manipulation, and cranial sacral techniques, as needed for each client. The treatment is clothed and the techniques can be administered with the client seated, standing or in a laying position, depending on the goal and treatment plan. The result is improving the overall functional biomechanics throughout the body which addresses a chief complaint, like knee pain, but also aims to improve other symptoms that seem unrelated, like poor digestion or headaches! Clients come out of their treatment plans with a better understanding of their body, it's posture and how to maintain good health beyond the treatment room!

INSURANCE

Check with your provider to see if your plan covers Manual Osteopathy. Insurance companies aren't offering direct billing at this time, but send in a request to your provider, and help us make that change!

Manual Osteopathy is covered by most insurance companies.

• Alberta Bluecross

• Benecaid

• Benefit Trust

• Claimsecure

• Chambers of Commerce

• Claimsecure

• Dejardins Financial Security

• Empire Life

• Imperial Life

• Johnson Inc.

• Johnson Group

• Manion Wilkins

• Maximum Benefit

• Medavie Bluecross

• National Life

• Nexgen

• Wawanesa

For information about which modalities we do have DIRECT BILLING with, visit this page.

More About Manual Osteopaths

"Manual Osteopaths focus on how the skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, connective tissue and internal organs function as a holistic unit." Each client, condition and injury is unique so a Manual Osteopath will vary their treatments from person to person, making the experience completely tailored and progressive, addressing the needs of the client at the time.

Manual Osteopaths will ask a client about their current problem and symptoms. Questions related to their health history, past symptoms, any medications, as well as any factors that may appear to have no direct correlation to the problem. Thorough examinations are conducted, like orthopaedic or neurological tests, postural assessments and activities or exercises, that will determine how best to manage a condition.

Manual Osteopaths may also provide education and recommendations to help a client manage their condition between appointments. Most Manual Osteopathic treatments are gentle and should not cause undue discomfort. If a client's injuries do require hands-on treatment of painful and tender areas, their Manual Osteopath will exercise care to make the client as comfortable as possible.

Functional Movement Assessment and Corrections

“The treatment has long term benefits as Robbie explores the reason for the pain. By becoming aware of this you can change what you are doing…”

How faulty movement patterns could be the cause of your injury.

The evidence shows that the biggest predisposing factor of non-traumatic injury during sport is previous injury. It used to be thought that this was because the previous injury created a weak area that is prone to re-injury. However, recent research has discovered that this is probably too simple an explanation. In fact injury can create faulty movement patterns that in turn create weak or overused areas and it is these areas that are prone to future injury. Also, there are many other mechanisms that can cause faulty movement patterns that are equally important. But it is not that important to know what these past events are because we can now measure your movement patterns to see where your faults are and create a treatment regime to resolve them. Once you have restored normal movement patterns you are less likely to become injured.

Using a well-researched screening assessment, functional movement, or lack of, can be graded. Depending on what the screen has shown a series of manual techniques and corrective exercises can be used to reduce the imbalances and restore normal functional movement. This will reduce your likelihood of non-contact injury in the future. Because the system is graded your progress can be monitored making your improvements visible and obvious.

What is Functional Movement?

In simple terms functional movement is how we move in the real world, not just the treatment room. The philosophy behind functional movement follows the same concept as the standard (manual) osteopathic philosophy. To create efficient movement, the whole body must be functioning properly. When the body is considered as a chain of muscles and joints rather than a set of individual joints working alone, any weakness or restriction or tension in the chain will cause an imbalance and weaken the entire chain. Over time imbalance increases the potential for weak areas to become irritated or injured and tense areas to become over used or strained.

How do we test for faulty functional movement patterns?

Proper functional movement occurs in co-ordinated patterns, which can be assessed and corrected. Over the past few years much research has been put into how to test for potential future injury. Most has been done in the USA and Australia and a few screening tests have been devised. The best one I have come across is called the “Functional Movement Screen”, developed by a group of physical therapists in Virginia, USA. It is a series of 7 basic movements that are fundamental to normal functional movement. By subjecting the body to these movements any areas of weakness, stiffness or asymmetry and therefore potential for injury are highlighted.

How can we fix these faults?

These dysfunctional areas and asymmetries can be corrected. Physical treatment and corrective exercises can loosen restricted and re-train weak or unstable patterns (not isolated areas) to function in the correct manner. Initially it is important to release off any tight muscles or restricted joints. Once this has been done weak muscles can be retrained to move in the correct, co-ordinated patterns using specialised exercises, which may include assisted movements or resisted movements that can be performed in the clinic or at home.

Why do functional movement patterns become faulty?

In infanthood, we are all programmed and develop to move the same way. Over our lifetime repetitive movements, isolated static postures and over training certain areas create changes in the way in which we move. We learn to use some areas of our body more than others. When this happens we pull ourselves out of symmetrical alignment. Previous pain caused by injury or inflammation will cause a temporary change in the way in which we move. We guard away from the pain. Sometimes, once the pain has resolved, the changed movement pattern persists. All these changes put unnecessary stress on other, weaker areas, which become prone to injury.

Think of it like a car that has a slightly misaligned axle. The tyres will wear down quickly on one side and lead to weakening and potential puncturing of the tyre. It is no use in just replacing the tyre because it will wear down again. The tracking (alignment) needs to be repaired. Similarly this is why a problematic hamstring keeps straining even though it has fully healed. It is similar to replacing the tyre with a brand new one. Eventually the hamstring will go again. The cause of the strain is the faulty way in which the hamstring is functioning. If this is resolved the likelihood is it will not strain again

This article originally appeared on harmonicosteopathy.com

Muscle Tightness: Do you have stiff muscles?

Do your muscles feel tight? Do you have stiffness in your body?  You're not alone, muscular stiffness and tightness is one of the most common problems we encounter..  Osteopaths unlike any other manual therapy have a very unique method in assisting your tightness. It’s called Counterstrain or Positional Release. 

"The MET method works due to the natural neurological impulse to relax the opposing muscle when one muscle contracts. Used correctly, Muscle Energy Technique can help patients to: Realign muscle groups. Re-educate muscles to restore a full range of motion." -OVCMT

When there is a strain, or tension in your muscles this sensation is transmitted to your brain as a message. Your brain will then respond to this message by adding further muscle tightness to the problem area or surrounding areas as a means of protection.  This response is not always helpful to your health.

One of the great things about Osteopaths is we have many ways of addressing muscle tightness. Techniques like Massage, or joint or muscular stretching (MET), postural correction can potentially assist you with muscle tightness but all these create a therapeutic pain to release the tension. There is however, several ways to skin a cat as they say and Counter-strain offers a very effective pain free alternative to this problem.

An Osteopath using Counter-strain will find the tight area in a region and then positions the body to take all the tension out of these tissues. This results in your nervous system feeding this change back to the brain. It will often take up to one minute for your brain to register that the area isn’t in trouble any more, and that it doesn’t need protecting.

What is the science behind how this works?

There are several nerve endings in your muscles and joints called Golgi Tendon Organs that feedback tension to your brain.  When this same area is placed in a relaxed position the Golgi Tendon Organs also feedbacks this change to the brain.  The brain then responds with feedback of its own, which will result in resetting of the muscular length and a much more relaxed muscle. The beauty of counter strain is that it is, pain free, stress free and it affect the central nervous system which results in a much more permanent and lasting change in the muscle tightness. This can potentially help you feel looser and less tense.

You may never have heard of this type of therapy so why not give [Osteopathy] a go and see if counter-strain can help you!

This article originally appeared on atune.com.au and was written by Katie Nancarrow.