Written by Katolen Yardley, DO (EU), MNIMH, RH (AHG)
Many individuals are curious about the whole body benefits which can be obtained by Manual Osteopathy. Here is an overview of some of the health benefits obtained from osteopathy.
First, Manual osteopathy is a drug free, gentle hands-on therapy that focuses on the health of your whole body, not just the injured or affected part. Gentle stretching, pressure, resistance and other techniques are applied to your joints, muscles, fascia, cranium and spine.
Second, manual osteopathy techniques can assist with:
- Restoring body motion and improved posture – through better body alignment, symmetry & improved range of motion.
- Relaxing and stretching tight muscles, decreasing spasms and hyper tonicity.
- Strengthening muscles and the musculoskeletal framework.
- Relieving chronic pain by decreasing stress on the joints, increasing beta endorphin mechanisms and improving alignment to address the root cause of pain.
- Reducing scar tissue and adhesions.
- Normalizing biomechanics & load distribution.
- Opening up the internal foramina, thereby decreasing pressure on the dorsal root ganglia (which are susceptible to compression) and increasing synovial space. Foramina are found within the cranium and vertebral column of the spine; they facilitate the unhindered free flow of underlying structures such as nerves, arteries and veins.
- Improved circulation and lymphatic drainage: consequently leading to increased removal of waste products, & edematous fluid from tissues.
- With improved blood flow comes improved nutrition to discs & articular cartilage.
- Improved function of the visceral (abdominal) organs.
- Improved digestion, decreased menstrual pain, support for respiratory conditions, low back pain, headaches/migraines, TMJD, knee pain, tennis elbow etc.
- Treatment of traumatic injuries such as falls, sports injuries, and prevention of athletic re-injury.
- Overall stress management, decreasing blood pressure and normalizing heart rate while increasing vagal nerve afferent activity as measured by heart-rate variability.
- Improve mood: impacting behaviors associated with chronic activation of the HPA axis, such as anxiety and depression. Animal studies show a decrease in plasma, urinary and salivary cortisol.
- Osteopathic wellness: extends senior health, injury prevention, overall health enhancement, increased endurance and vitality.
A manual osteopathic practitioner can provide gentle focused treatment for the specific muscle, spinal and joint issues or can be a part of a larger dis-ease prevention program. Learn more about Osteopathy and the benefits of osteopathy or book an appointment by emailing Alinear Osteopathy in Vancouver and Port Moody, BC.