The Wanaka Osteopathic Clinic provides treatment for all ages, through all stages of life. To enable the newborn to cope with the pressure and strain of birth, to enabling the elderly to get the most out of life by improving mobility and balance and regaining strength.
Osteopathic techniques are unique to the profession of osteopathy and distinct from those of other treatment modalities. The Wanaka Osteopathic Clinic provides both structural and cranial osteopathic treatment. This describes how a hands on technique either pushes the muscles and joints, or works with them to create change.
What is “Manipulation”?
You may have heard the term “manipulation” and many people would associate this with a movement applied to a joint to produce a clicking sound. The clicking sound is said to be created by a release of nitrogen gas in joints as they are put under pressure. The term “manipulation” actually just means to create a change in the bodies structures and tissues and this can be done with force and also through very gently guiding them to move correctly. The latter (gently guiding) is the only technique that provides long term change after an impact injury.
Structural Osteopathic Treatment (Direct force applied)
Treatment that involves directly pushing and moving parts of the body and can be done through applying a quick release to joints or tissues, rhythmic movements, stretching, massage or pressure/trigger point release. A restriction is found and a force is applied against the barrier to move through it.
Cranial Osteopathic Treatment (Forces applied indirectly)
Please note: Cranial osteopathy is a field of osteopathy that is distinct from craniosacral therapy. This therapy uses a similar technique but practitioners do not have medical training, where as cranial osteopathy is taught within the scope of osteopathic medical training.
Cranial osteopathy is more indirect than structural treatment and involves diagnosing strains and subtle changes in and between bones and other tissues that can be causing significant problems. Instead of pushing through the restriction the technique allows the body to guide the change. This type of technique stimulates our bodies self-healing mechanism, to create healing and long term change. It is particularly common in the treatment of infants as it is extremely gentle yet very effective at producing changes. It is very useful when there has been a history of birth trauma in infants, but equally in adults with old injuries including head injuries.
When there has been hard trauma to the body (ie a car accident or a hard impact from skiing, snowboarding, or mountain biking), the skeleton absorbs the impact and this changes how the muscles and joints function, usually leading to stiffness, weakness and muscular guarding. This type of treatment allows the body to release such traumas, preventing them from continuing to affect us.