Month: April 2024

Visceral mobilisation is a gentle fascial mobilisation approach involving specific hand placements on the body that correspond to locations of specific organs

These techniques encourage normal mobility, tone and motion of the organs and surrounding tissues. Frequently, issues in muscles, joints and connective tissue can be traced back to restrictions in the organs in more than 80% of cases. Restrictions can not only lead to musculoskeletal issues but also tension in the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems.

What Visceral Manipulation looks like

During a session, the therapist will place their hands across different organs which are mainly located within the thorax and head. Some of these treatments can feel uncomfortable but should not feel painful. The therapist will move their hands slightly as organ movement returns and there may be sensations that feel unfamiliar as these techniques are very specific.

A natural progression of CranioSacral Therapy is a process called SomatoEmotional ® Release (SER)

During traumatic or stressful periods, the body may retain the imprint of emotion in the tissues of the body. SomatoEmotional Release is a process of physically assisting the body in integrating these emotions through an interaction of the therapist’s touch and the client’s internal processes.

The forefather of CranioSacral Therapy, Dr Upledger, noticed that many of his patients whom received therapy would come back with similar problems until the emotional component was also released. He developed techniques that followed the body’s tissue release patterns until an emotional release would come about. This eventually was termed SomatoEmotional Release and is the case in many chronic conditions.

SER is unique in its approach to using manual therapy and touch to work with emotions. This is in contrast to the common idea that we need different situations and therapies for the physical compared to the mental emotional. This methodology allows us to integrate the hidden pieces of the psyche and move from illness and retained trauma to wellbeing, growth and healing.

What SER looks like

During a session your Therapist may at some point ask about how you are feeling, what you are sensing, what is happening in your body in that moment. Sometimes this can be quite a new concept, but it is actually just activating the powerful tool that is your imagination! People quickly get the hang of it and often describe things such as images, memories or anything else that they may be aware of in that moment. There are a few key signs that suggest to us there may be an emotional component linked to the place we are at in the moment, and by following this we have clues as to how to keep this process on track and ensure it is helpful.

We know that a radical change in physical health, whether for the better or the worse, is invariably accompanied by profound mental/emotional change. We also know from studies of behaviour and body language that the reverse is equally true – a major change in mental perspective is always accompanied by a change in body activity, posture and movement. SER and the tools of CST combine all aspects of human nature – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – into one approach that can facilitate tremendous change and growth in a person’s life.

The Mulligan manual therapy concept uses mobilisation with movement which includes joint-based techniques whilst actively moving

This method reduces pain, restriction and functional limitations when appropriate force is used.

What Mobilisation with movement looks like

These techniques will make up a portion of the treatment and when performed it should eliminate pain and discomfort. You may feel firm pressure on the area that is being mobilised and you will be asked to perform a movement associated with your pain. At times a belt will be used to mobilise the body segment instead.

Kinesiology has two branches: Clinical Kinesiology and Applied Kinesiology.

Applied Kinesiology uses muscle tests to test the response of the nervous system to a sensory challenge. This may be used for physical issues such as painful squat but it can also be used to reduce threat signals from tasks related to vision, balance and even thoughts and emotions. Clinical Kinesiology uses the patient’s subconscious to guide what the treatment process.

What Kinesiology looks like

A muscle test will be used to determine the how the nervous system perceives a task (eg a squat, or running task), generally either at the shoulder or hip. This test will be reused a number of times to determine what tasks create a threat response. Between these tests there will be a number of tasks and corrections used to calm the nervous system and integrate this sense of calmness with previous tasks. As more of these tasks are integrated there will be new sensations in the body and generally an improvement in your ability to complete a painful task or an ease of performing said tasks.

The ISM is a framework to assess how past injuries, posture and movement patterns impact on health and pain and movement limitations.

It is a way to determine how ‘correcting’ different sites of the body then impacts on a meaningful task. Subsequent treatment may involve a number of modalities, and as such ISM offers a powerful model to then direct a treatment program.

What does ISM looks like

It starts with finding a meaningful movement unique to you, that may be painful, restricted or just something you want to improve in your performance of. We then determine if corrections on different sites, which can be quite far away, improves either posture, performing the task or changes your sensation of the task. Treatment is often a combination of manual therapy and exercise to reinforce these corrections.

Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle, non-invasive therapy that seeks to find and treat restrictions throughout the body systems

Restrictions within the CranioSacral system can lead to tension patterns, restrictions or affect the functioning of all bodily systems including the musculoskeletal, endocrine, cardio-respiratory, gastrointestinal, lymphatic, immune and reproductive systems.

Through various assessment methods, your whole body and CranioSacral system will be assessed to find the “primary” restrictions or “root causes” of your issues. Over time when these issues go untreated, the body may find ways to compensate in order to keep us functioning well. When the body can no longer compensate or the restrictions are so great that it overcomes the body’s compensatory strategies, symptoms are experienced.

What CranioSacral Therapy looks like

During a session you can expect many gentle hand placements around the head and neck, face and sacrum. These places may be held for quite some time in order for the full relaxation of the area to occur. It is extremely rare that any of these treatment techniques would be painful and as such is a wonderful type of therapy for those that have chronic pain or sensitivities relating to their pain. Typically a session will last for an hour and it is common that you may briefly fall asleep whilst receiving treatment

ART is known as the gold standard of soft tissue techniques globally

It uses a system to identify, treat and manage issues with muscle, ligaments, tendons and any connective tissue issues that limit painful movements and activities.

What Active Release Technique looks like

Active Release Techniques are often quick and effective and are incorporated in the treatment session. Specific contact and force is applied to specific areas of the body, which is coupled with active movement from the client. Some techniques can be painful, but will settle once pressure is released.