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.

What To Expect from an Osteopathic Treatment

If you are a new patient:

After taking an extensive case history, we do an initial structural assessment and perform motion tests and any necessary neurological and orthopedic tests. We may request other investigations if necessary for diagnosis.

We assess the range and quality of motion in joints and soft tissues and look at your general structural/ postural pattern.

The reason for taking a comprehensive case history and performing an initial assessment is to judge whether it is safe for us to use particular osteopathic techniques with you, and whether osteopathic treatment is appropriate.

We are interested in what has worked for you previously, and whether you have treatment preferences.

We can explain the treatment plan, and gain your consent before treatment. You should let us know immediately, even during the treatment, if you would like to change or stop and discuss the treatment we are giving you.

Your Osteopath will then explain to you what they have found and how they would like to approach the treatment, as well as explain what you may expect, any risks involved, and gain your consent for treatment .

The Osteopathic Treatment:

The treatment itself can vary practitioner to practitioner, but all will involve a hands-on approach.  Osteopaths have a wide variety of manual techniques they use to treat various complaints. They include:

• Massage (soft-tissue releases)
• Stretching
• Articulation (joints are passively taken through their range of motion by the osteopath)
• Muscle Energy Techniques (used to lengthen tight, contracted muscles)
• Counterstrain (releases tight muscles by positioning the affected muscle in a shortened position to stretch the opposing muscles)
• Manipulations (short, quick, precise low-amplitude movements used to improve range of motion at the joint)
• Functional Techniques (gentle mobilisation of joints)
• Visceral Techniques 
• Osteopathy in the Cranial Field

At the end of the treatment, your Osteopath will reassess the initial movements that you performed so that we can see how effective the treatment has been. Your Osteopath may organise a return consultation and may give you some stretches and exercises to do at home to help speed up your recovery or improve your body's function. We may be able to give you advice about suitable physical activity during this recovery period.

We have special pillows so that our pregnant patients can lie comfortably.

For your Osteopathic Consultation:

Bring:

•  X-rays, scans and results of investigations
• Private Health Insurance card /Workcover/Motor Vehicle claim numbers/ EPC form/ DVA referral form and card

Wear:

• Comfortable clothes. Depending on the Osteopathic Practitioner and the area of concern, some disrobing may be required, but at all times you will be draped with towels and/or provided with a gown to ensure you feel comfortable during the treatment. 

Time:

• Allow 5-10 minutes extra for your initial consultation to fill in your information sheet.
• Initial consults last 45-60 minutes
• Followup treatments run for 30-45 minutes

How many Treatments Will I Need?

The number of treatments needed depends on how long you have had the problem, how severe it is, and how your body responds to treatment. 

Like any other form of therapy/treatment, occasional unwanted reactions may occur.  These usually don't last long, but if you would like your osteopath to talk to you about what is happening, please ring us. 

On average, people have between 3 to 6 Osteopathic treatments for good results. However, you may only need 1 or 2 visits.

This article originally appeared on fremantleosteopathy.com.au

What Does a Osteopathic Manual Therapist Do?

Soft Tissue Manipulation

The practitioner uses soft tissue manipulation in many different ways. In general, they use it to evaluate the condition of tissues and to help the body’s fluids (such as blood and lymphatic fluid) flow smoothly. Keeping fluids flowing smoothly reduces harmful fluid retention and makes the body’s immune system more effective. Fascia is tissue found in all parts of the body. It connects all of the body’s structures at both superficial and deep levels. Practitioners evaluate the fascia to find areas of restriction, and then use soft tissue manipulation to make sure the length and tension of the fascia are properly balanced. Throughout the treatment, manual osteopaths keep checking on the state of the body’s tissues. If one technique isn’t working to correct a restriction, they use another approach instead. Above all, manual osteopaths try to restore health without over-treating.

Osteopathic Articular Technique

Osteopathic Manual Therapists use this technique to reduce muscle spasms near a joint, ease neurological irritations around a joint, make joints more mobile and to reduce pain and discomfort.  The articular technique involves gently moving 2 joint surfaces.  Before doing this, manual osteopaths carefully prepare the soft tissues around the treatment area.  They also move the patient into a position that will minimize, or eliminate the energy and force needed to perform the manoever.  Many patients find this technique less forceful than joint manipulations.

Cranial Osteopathic Manual Therapy

This is a very gentle osteopathic technique, and it requires the most experience to use effectively. To learn this technique, Manual osteopaths undergo intensive training. Through this training, their hands become sensitive to the cranial mobility and develop great precision in utilizing cranial techniques. Manual osteopaths use this gentle technique to assess and treat the mobility of the skull and its contents. They may also use it to assess and treat the spine, the sacrum, and other parts of the body. The goal of this technique is to adjust the body’s physiology by restoring balance to the circulation of the blood and other body fluids. Manual osteopaths do this by treating the body’s inherent biorhythm. They are able to feel this rhythm in the patient’s head, spinal cord, and in the sacrum and the rest of the body. Manual osteopaths use the biorhythm to assess the patient’s condition, and they may modify it during treatment.

Visceral Manipulation

Osteopathic Manual Therapists use visceral manipulation to treat organs and viscera of the body, including the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, pancreas, intestines, bladder and uterus. Patients may feel pain in one or more of these organs, or the viscera may be less pliable than it should be. Manual osteopaths gently move the structures themselves and the fascia (connective tissue) that surrounds them to restore full movement.

Most patients treated with visceral manipulation feel only the gentle pressure of the manual osteopath’s hand, but the corrections are powerful enough to improve the mobility of an organ, improve blood flow, and help the organ function more effectively.

The above (and many other) osteopathic manual techniques and approaches are used in a coordinated and rational fashion to slowly adjust the patients anatomy and physiology towards normal, so that the patient’s body can heal itself.

This article originally appeared on nmoc.ca