Osteopathy:

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Suppleness and flexibility

On our previous article we discussed pain cycles and the general degeneration of the body as we grow older. Continuing on from this it then becomes apparent that to function efficiently and symptom free, the body must be supple and elastic. Ideally, this is coupled with well-balanced muscle strength, especially of the abdominal muscles, responsible for providing us with our core stability. This prevents over stressing of certain structures such as joints, ligaments and muscles, thereby causing symptoms of pain, muscle stiffness and joint restriction. A person's ability to cope with these symptoms appears to be related to the degree of flexibility of their body within a normal healthy range.

Suppleness and flexibility might also explain why research using MRI scans has shown that 20% of people under the age of 60 have disc injuries which remain asymptomatic whilst 30% of over 60 year olds have varying degrees of degenerative changes in their skeletons whilst being symptom free. These people would also appear to be fortunate in that the location of these disc injuries and degenerative changes do not lie in close proximity to nerve tissue, thus explaining the lack of symptoms.

Pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual, or potential tissue damage". The type of pain experienced will depend on the type of tissue damaged. Irritation of a nerve will result in a sharp/burning pain, strained ligaments can produce a dull deep ache, whilst muscular pain is better defined as a deep ache. In essence, pain is a message telling the body that we have tissue damage and that we need to address this damage. Without pain we could, and quite often do, cause further damage. Pain is, in effect, a protective mechanism.

Quite often idiopathic pain and stiffness are the only symptoms of an underlying chronic problem such as over stressing of a knee joint or spinal joint for example. This idiopathic pain and stiffness may be the only indicators of the underlying problem and are in fact the symptoms of compensatory changes in the tissue.

Effective osteopathic treatment should therefore focus on the whole body and not just on the symptoms. Treatment of the symptoms will provide temporary relief whilst the underlying weakness/injury is not addressed. Indeed, this type of treatment can leave the patient's body more vulnerable to a breakdown. Effective treatment is aimed at restoring and improving general flexibility on a daily basis. We cannot change the structure (our body) but we can make it work more efficiently. We make it work better with treatment, postural advice, and by strengthening the muscles whilst retaining flexibility.

This approach to treatment has other benefits in that one of the concepts of osteopathy is that the function and structure of the body are complementary. Put simply, if we have a healthy structure, then we function better as a whole. And vice versa.

Further articles on this site will include: the causes of back pain and treatment, knee injuries, repetitive strain injuries, amongst other topical subjects.

Sean Durkan BSc (Hons) Osteopathy
140, Harley Street
London W1G 7LB
Tel 07880 746077