Steph Kennedy
Your spine is a spring, built to absorb and distribute force, and it’s made of four curves: sacrum (tailbone), lumbar (low back), thoracic (upper back), and cervical (neck). These curves work together to give your body both stability and mobility.
Back pain can result from injuries, habitual postures, repetitive motions, and many other causes.
This can cause the spine to lose mobility between its many joints and a decrease in flexibility as muscles and fascia around the spine develop excessive tension. The spine may deviate from its normal position, as it’s unable to move through its full range of motion and the tight muscles pull it in various directions.
Osteopathy addresses back pain by applying treatment which promotes relaxation of the muscles and fascia as well as encouraging proper motion through the joints. This is done by utilizing techniques that work with the muscular reflexes of the body, breathing, and the anatomical connections between various tissues and regions. This improves motion and symmetry in the body, allowing the proper space for all tissues. It is important for our blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics to have the space they need to deliver nutrients, remove waste products, and proper conduction of the nervous system. This is what will allow the body to heal, decreasing the likelihood of future injuries and promoting overall health and wellness.
Another aspect of Osteopathy that allows for lasting change is the holistic approach. Although
back pain may be the main area of concern, a whole-body assessment is done to determine
other areas which may be contributing to or compensating for the back pain. All parts and tissues of the body are connected and work together to allow us to function as a human being. If the lumbar spine is restricted in motion and causing pain in the low back, the rest of the spine, the hips, and all the muscles attaching to these bones will have to respond to the change so that your body can continue moving. This is why Osteopathy assesses the entire body and doesn’t only apply treatment to the area where pain is being felt.
Osteopathy can help improve back pain by reducing tension in the fascia and muscles,
improving the mobility of the joints, allowing the blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics to have the space they need to function correctly, and by treating the body as whole so that all
contributing factors are addressed allowing for lasting results.
