Musculoskeletal issues may cause a lot of pain and discomfort that hinder you from carrying out your daily activities comfortably. If you still experience intense aches and pain despite using pain relievers and several other traditional pain management techniques, you might be an ideal candidate for manual osteopathy.
Manual osteopathy is a type of complementary and alternative medicine treatment procedure that is similar to massage therapy. This complementary form of healing employs a hands-on technique to manipulate the alignment of the muscles, bones, and joints to remove obstructions and restore function in the body. Manual osteopathy aims to restore function and eliminate pain by addressing the root cause of imbalance, pain, injury, or illness. In addition to its physical benefits, manual osteopathy influences your mental health positively. This article will explore all there is to know about manual osteopathy in Concept of Movement Physiotherapy.
What Conditions Can Manual Osteopathy Manage?
Manual osteopathy benefits people of all ages, genders, and fitness levels. The following are conditions that can be treated and managed with manual osteopathy in Barrie, ON:
- Postural imbalances
- Back and neck pain
- Postpartum conditions
- Postoperative recovery
- Traumatic injuries from sports, repetitive strains, falls, and accidents.
- Chronic pain
- Stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Plantar fasciitis
- Digestive problems
- Carpal Tunnel
- Musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis
- Tendonitis
- Sciatica
- Urinary incontinence
- Vertigo
- Sleep disorders
- Acid reflux
- Chronic fatigue
What Does Manual Osteopathy Entail?
Manual osteopathy is a complementary treatment that may be part of physiotherapy in Barrie, ON. Osteopaths believe that the cause of pain, discomfort, and organ dysfunction is the misalignment and restriction of the bones, muscles, and joints, which disrupt the flow of blood, nerve impulses, and lymph. Manual osteopathy employs different techniques to restore your health and promote your overall well-being. Your treatment method will depend on your condition, underlying causes, and treatment goals. Some of the techniques employed in manual osteopathy include:
Joint Mobilization
Joint mobilization is a treatment technique employed by manual osteopathy to manage muscular dysfunction at the joints. It restores a joint’s range of motion lost to injury from an accident or disease. Joint mobilization applies gentle and sustained pressure to a joint by gliding or shearing its surface within its natural constraints to increase its range of motion. Mobilization works by stimulating mechanoreceptors, reducing muscle guarding, stretching and releasing tight capsules and ligaments, and improving synovial fluid flow.
Joint mobilization relieves pain, enhances flexibility, improves range of motion, corrects posture, and enhances athletic performance. People who experience headaches, back pain, neck pain, arthritis, joint pain, stiffness, or limited range of motion can benefit from joint mobilization during manual osteopathy. However, some conditions may make you ineligible for joint mobilization for safety reasons. These conditions include fractures, tears in ligaments, acute inflammation, joint instability, and certain neurological conditions.
Soft Tissue Manipulation
A manual osteopath may resort to soft tissue manipulation if an imbalance in your muscles, fascia, or nerves leads to pain, stiffness, or dysfunction. Soft tissue manipulation works with the fascia (the soft tissue that connects all of the body’s structures at all levels). It can promote nervous system balance, improve lymphatic drainage, release muscle tension and trigger points, and stretch and mobilize the fascia. Soft tissue mobilization ensures that the body’s fluids (blood and lymphatic fluids) are flowing smoothly.
People suffering from stress and anxiety, sports injuries, chronic pain, joint pain/stiffness, etc, can benefit from soft tissue manipulation. The benefits of this manual osteopathy technique include stress relief, relaxation, improved range of motion and flexibility, boosted circulation, injury recovery, and rehabilitation.
Visceral Manipulation
Visceral manipulation is a manual osteopathy technique that assesses and treats the organs (viscera) of the body. If you have been experiencing pain in any body organ, your manual osteopath will employ the visceral manipulation technique. This technique involves applying gentle pressure to align organs, ensuring they are in their proper positions to keep them functioning perfectly. Imbalance with the viscera and fascia can affect body systems such as the vascular, musculoskeletal, digestive, respiratory, and nervous systems. Therefore, the visceral manipulation technique will benefit people with problems in their organs immensely.
Other techniques employed by manual osteopathy include craniosacral therapy, osteoarticular manipulation, and advanced myofascial release.
Benefits of Manual Osteopathy
Several benefits are attached to undergoing osteopathic manual therapy in Barrie, ON. Some of these benefits include:
Pain Relief
Manual osteopathy removes the restriction to the flow of blood and nerve impulses in the bones, muscles, and joints. Therefore, it improves circulation, reducing pain and improving mobility. People suffering from back pain, neck pain, headaches, and other chronic pain conditions like arthritis will benefit from manual osteopathy.
Reduction of Stress
Manual osteopathy also has psychological benefits. This complementary and alternative treatment method can have positive effects on the nervous system, leading to a drastic reduction in stress and anxiety symptoms. Manual osteopathy can also increase sleep quality.
Improved Range of Motion
Manual osteopathy loosens tight muscles and improves joint flexibility. These changes help patients with manual osteopathy treatment develop a better range of motion, resulting in better physical performance.
Enhanced Immune Function
Osteopathy improves circulation and lymphatic drainage. This improvement may indirectly boost the immune system, increasing your body’s ability to fight diseases and infections.
Improved Posture
Manual Osteopathy ensures a proper alignment of the body, leading to better symmetry and posture.
Reduction of scar tissues and adhesions, support for respiratory conditions, increased removal of waste products, improved nutrition, reduction of inflammation, etc, are some of the other benefits of Manual Osteopathy.
Conclusion
Manual Osteopathy is a complementary and alternative treatment method that holds a lot of benefits for your physical and mental health. If you want an alternative to the traditional method of pain relief and to ensure overall health and well-being, you should go for manual osteopathy at Concept of Movement Physiotherapy.