The Four Principles of Osteopathy

There are four main principles which govern how an osteopathic manual practitioner assesses and treats the body.

1. The body is a dynamic unit of function.

2. Structure and function are interrelated.

3. The body has systems of self-healing and self-regulating when unimpeded.

4. Treatment is given according to the above principles.

But what does this mean for you?

1. We as osteopathic manual practitioners view the entire body and mind as a closed system, similar to a car or a house. Much like a car, your body has fluids and electricity moving through it to activate and maintain movement, as well as overall health. Without regular maintenance, your car's engine will perform suboptimaly, decreasing your gas-mileage, unbalancing your tire wear, or in more serious cases, impeding your car's ability to start or brake. Similarly, regular manual therapy for maintenance can improve your body's efficiency in movement, decrease uneven wear of your joints, and help work towards prevention of serious health complications.

2. We treat a structure according to its function. We are concerned with joint surface shape, muscular fibre direction, and where blood and nerve tissue are flowing relative to bony and muscular structures, and treat accordingly. The knee joint and the hip joint have drastically different shapes, and muscular attachments that move them, and thus must be treated differently. And since we as individuals all have different body types, treating my knee and treating your knee would look different, for example.

3. The circulatory system carries blood, oxygen, and energy in the form of nutrients, as well as healing factors. When your body is sick or injured, blood will flow where needed in order to kickstart self-healing, such as the clotting system that occurs when you get a cut. Sometimes, the body needs some help, and that's where we come in. Properly trained osteopathic manual practitioners are able to appease the nervous system, which relaxes the muscles, and allows blood to flow optimally, and the body to heal itself. The body is also self-regulating, which means many of these processes of healing are happening all the time. Highly vascular areas, such as your hips and the upper portion of the thorax, benefit greatly from maintenance of the muscular and bony tissue surrounding those vascular bundles, removing impediments to optimal flow.

4. All of this informs my treatment to you. When you come into the office and ask for my help, I will use what I know to treat you according to what your body needs that day, and for the long term.