 Integrative
Manual Therapy is based on the premise that pain and disease is
the result of abnormal anatomical relationships associated with
physiological & energetic discord. Structure and function
are interdependent and a balanced musculoskeletal system plays
an important role in wellness, disease prevention and recovery.
Each client has a mind, a spirit a physical and energetic body,
and issues in any of these aspects may be reflected as an illness
in another. Integrative manual therapy emphasizes the importance
of prevention and helps elicit the tendency of the body to heal.
Integrative Physical Therapy seeks to remove the impediments to
that tendency by the use of manual therapy approaches including
Osteopathic Manipulation, Myofascial Release, Muscle Energy and
Strain-Counterstrain (Positional Release Therapy), Tui-na, Shiatsu
and Thai Massage, exercise therapy like Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga,
Pilates, Alexander Technique, and mental techniques like Meditation,
Guided Imagery and Cognitive-Behavioral Training.
Osteopathic Manipulation
These techniques include myofascial work, muscle energy technique
and positional release techniques and joint manipulation.
Myofascial Release
Treats myofascial (muscle & fascia) structures and related neural
and vascular components to elongate myofascial structures and relax
muscles, improve cellular nutrition, oxygenation, and waste removal
by enhancing circulation.
Muscle Energy
The client's muscles are actively engaged from a precisely controlled
position, in a specific direction, and against an exact counterforce.
With post isometric relaxation a joint is freed up by the relaxation
of specific muscles after contraction. Reciprocal inhibition takes
advantage of the fact that when a muscle's antagonist is contracted,
the muscle is inhibited and relaxes. This work mobilizes restricted
joints, lengthens tense muscles and fascia, strengthens to address
asymmetrically weak muscles, decreases hypertonicity, and improves
circulation and respiration.
Strain-Counter strain (positional
release therapy) relieves spinal or other joint pain by passively
putting the joint into its position of greatest comfort thereby
reducing inappropriate neuromuscular activity. This method is designed
to release painful muscle spasms and chronic tension in the body
by interrupting the nervous impulses that cause muscle spasms. Treatment
using positional release creates no additional pain and can be performed
without the removal of clothing. It is an excellent method for the
treatment of the chronically ill or anyone who would benefit from
soft tissue bodywork but cannot tolerate more intrusive bodywork
methods.
Deep-Tissue Massage uses slow
strokes, direct pressure, or friction, applied across the grain
of the muscles with the fingers, thumbs or elbows. Deep-tissue massage
works deeply into the muscles and connective tissue to release chronic
aches and pains.
Tui-na (pronounced "twee-nah")
is an important part of traditional Chinese Medical practice. Tui-Na
makes use of many different strokes that are applied to acupuncture
points, meridians and muscles. Central to this approach is the manipulation
of the body's subtle energy as well as the physical tissue, joints,
internal organs and fluids. The problem area can be treated locally
or remotely by using the meridian system. Tui-na and the internal
arts like Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong can be considered to be traditional
Chinese Physical Therapy.
Shiatsu
Shiatsu is an acupressure massage technique developed in Japan rooted
in Chinese philosophy and medicine. Pressure is applied to specific
points of the body to stimulate or release the meridians through
which vital energy flows. Its aim is to restore and maintain the
energetic balance through the application of pressure to energy
channels and points.
Thai Massage
Thai Massage utilizes hand techniques and a unique approach to passive
movement and stretching using Yoga postures to open up the meridians
and release chronic tension.
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