This page highlights some of the more common treatments that are provided with osteopathy. In addition there are some adjunct therapies described which in combination with osteopathy, compound the beneficial healing effect.
Osteopathic treatments
Soft tissue manipulation
The muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia( film like tissue surrounding all other tissues) are kneaded, stretched, stimulated or inhibited by the practitioner's hands. This is done to achieve a variety of effects including; breaking down scar/fibrotic tissue, improving circulation to increase repair and vitality to tissues , reducing tension in muscles, increase venous drainage to remove toxins from tissues. improve joint function by balancing the surrounding tissues. By treating the tissues around joints this also helps to mobilise joints.
Joint Mobilisation/Articulation Often joints get restricted in their mobility, often caused by some form of trauma or postural reasons, overuse injuries. This may result in an inflammatory change to the joint and guarding/ spasm of the surrounding muscles. The Joints can often become misaligned so that the two opposing surfaces don't glide freely. The patient may experience this as pain or tension or reduced movement in the neck or back or knee for instance. Osteopaths can mobilise individual spinal joints or the larger peripheral joints like the knee or shoulder to increase the mobility, re-align the surfaces, reduce the inflammation and diminish muscular guarding.
Manipulation...the clicking and popping Osteopathy is often associated, amongst the general public, with " the people who click your back". It is true that lots of osteopaths manipulate joints and create a popping noise which is considered to be air that is drawn in to a joint space. It is predominantly utilised when joints are restricetd or misaligned but a sudden/quick thrust ito the joint creates normal function. The technique should be relatively pain free and when performed expertly and accurately has often immediate relief for the patient.
