Contact made!

The therapist and the patient come in contact at the first meeting. The issue of the reliable contact and trust-based relations is of paramount importance both for the patient and the osteopath. It is very essential for the patient to be sure in the therapist’s competence, in his attentiveness and helpfulness, and the therapist needs to the correct diagnose, plan successful treatment and be sure that the patient fully trusts him and really intends to comply with his prescriptions.

The maximum effect of treatment requires osteopath’s professionalism and deep clinical knowledge. A visit to the osteopath always starts with a conversation. The doctor discovers the patient’s history and listens to the complaints. The therapist also needs to know about your previous treatment, procedures, and medications taken. Please, don’t keep any information about your health from the therapist. Even minor details are of great importance and, first of all, it is essential for you.

Any information regarding your condition and knowledge about how your body reacts to certain prescriptions will not only contribute to making the right clinical diagnosis, but will help make the correct tactical plan of further treatment.

The osteopath not just listens to you. He analyzes, compares and makes conclusions. Complying with the “do no harm” principle, the therapist should understand the reasons for the sudden deterioration or improvement of your condition. More than half of the therapist’s success depends on the trust between him and the patient. If you do not trust your doctor or doubt his competence, or if you do not believe in your recovery, better consult another doctor.

During a session of osteopathy, the osteopath influences your body using gentle techniques. A patient who visits the osteopath for the first time may have false idea about the procedure. E.g. they may think that the therapist should make their bones “crack” or “crumple” then properly. In the patients’ idea, the stronger such “crack” or “crumple” is, the better is the result. And if there expectations do not come true, the procedure is of no use.

On the contrary, osteopathy is absolutely painless, and rather enjoyable. The osteopath not only affects the muscles, ligaments, bones, and internal organs with his hands, but also runs self-regulation processes of the body, which the body “works out” after the session. That is why letting you home after the procedure, your therapist asks you to observe your feelings and changes in the body.

Note or remember your new experiences. During the nest visit you will describe them to your therapist. It will allow him to choose the right way of treatment and necessary adjustment to be introduced to the procedure to achieve the best result.

The below exercises were developed by Paul Bragg, a famous naturopath. It consists of five basic exercises, which influence different regions of the spine. You should make all of them in one session. You can rest between the exercises.

Exercise 1. This exercise applies specifically to the upper region of the spine, where the nerves that affect head, eye, stomach and intestine muscles go. This exercise will reduce headache, eye strain, indigestion and poor assimilation.

Original stance: Lie face down on the floor. Remain in this position; put your hands under your chest and feet shoulder width apart. Now, slowly, lift your pelvis up resting on hands and toes with the back highly arched. Your pelvis should be higher than the head. The head is down and legs and arms are straight.

Then, drop the pelvis almost to the floor keeping elbows and knees stiff. Such position keeps the spine especially tense. Now, raise your head and throw it back.

Don’t be fast when doing this exercise. Try to lower the pelvis as much as possible and raise it up to the highest point with your back arched. The exercise is in your dropping and raising the pelvis thus arching and flexing the spine. Such motions aid spine stretching and correct placement of the vertebrae.

Repeat the exercise 2 – 4 times when you start. With time increase the number of repeats to 8 – 12.

If you train this exercise and do this motion correctly, you will feel relief and relaxation of your spine.

Exercise 2.. This exercise is mostly for the spine region comprising the nerves controlling liver, gall bladder, and kidneys. The exercise may bring relief in case of their disorders or diseases. It will help to improve suppressed liver, gall bladder, kidneys, and urinary bladder.

This exercise starts in the same position as Exercise 1. When you raised your pelvis up and arched your back, do the following: swing the pelvis to the left as far as possible lowering the left side as much as possible, and then to the right. Keep elbows and knees stiff. Do the exercise slowly and smoothly. Imagine that with each turn your spine stretches more and more. A combination of spine stretching and swinging helps the vertebrae to “set” in their correct position.

At first, you will find this motion rather complicated and tiring. Limit the repeats to 2 – 4. With time it will be easier to do, due to muscular development and strengthening of spinal nerves.

Increase the repeats to 8 – 12 with time.

This exercise is rather difficult and requires significant skills and effort.

Exercise 3. Previous exercises provided rather significant strain to the spine muscles and ligaments. This Exercise 3 aims at removing residual strength and entire spine relaxation. The exercise stimulates every nerve center. In addition the pelvic region is relieved.

One of the important features of this exercise is its ability to strengthen those muscles of the spine that retain its elongated position thus helping the restoration of the intervertebral cartilage.

Original stance: Sit down on the floor; rest on your straight arms located slightly behind; bend your legs. Then, raise the pelvis up bringing it to the position when you are resting on the flats of your straight arms and bent legs. We recommend to do the exercise fast to relax the spine. Raise your body until your spine is in horizontal position then return to the initial position.

Repeat 6 – 8 times when you start and 12 – 18 with time.

Exercise 4. This exercise is designed to bring particular force to the spine region where the nerves controlling the stomach are located. It is also effective for the entire spine contributing to its stretching. It is the stretching of the spine that releases trapped nerve roots of the spinal cord thus bringing the whole body to normal, working and healthy condition.

Original stance: Lie down on the floor on your back, hands at sides. Bend knees and bring to chest with arms around. Now, move as if you want to pull the knees and thighs against the chest holding them at the chest. At the same time, raise your head and try to touch the chin to the knees. Hold this position for 3 – 5 seconds.

This exercise provides a sharp push that stretches the spine thereby removing minor trappings between the vertebrae.

In addition, this exercise allows you to strengthen not only the abdominal muscles, but also the deep muscles in the abdominal region of the spinal column.

Repeat the exercise 2 – 4 times.

Exercise 5.. Walking on fours. Paul Bragg considers this exercise to be one of the most important for spine stretching. Among other things, it includes the region of the spine where the nerves controlling the large bowel come out.

Start as in Exercise 1. Stand on your fours: elbows and knees stiff, arched back, pelvis up, head down. Now, walk around the room in the same position (on all fours). Keep your legs and arms straight while walking. Such motion minimize the load to the spine and the spine is twisted somehow. This position is the best for the spine stretching and placing its discs into proper places.

Paul Bragg recommends doing the above exercises considering individual abilities of each person. tart with 2 – 3 repetitions of each exercise. In a day you may increase the repetitions to five times and more.

In several days your muscles will become stronger and the spine and ligaments will become more flexible. A normally strong person will find it easy to do each exercise 10 – 12 times in some days.

As for the frequency, Bragg recommends doing this set of exercises every day. After necessary improvements of the spine, reduce the training to two times per week. It will be enough to keep the spine flexible and stretched.

According to the foregoing, a week is sufficient for the spine improvements to start. In 2 – 3 weeks they become constant.

Keep in mind that pathological changes of the spine took years, so you cannot correct everything in a day. Be patient and persistent. Permanent training of the spine will stimulate the restoration and growth of cartilage thus making the spine stretched, flexible and healthy.

Try to observe the following hygiene requirements to keep normal tonus of the body and be healthy:

• Eat only healthy food, balanced and various. Such a diet will provide you the right amount of vitamins, minerals and microelements.
• Eat vegetables and fruits every day.
• Maintain a reasonable body weight, and to do this ….
• Take pleasure of exercise and sport. Realize that they contribute not only to physiology, but also relieve stress, calm the nervous system and raise your psycho-emotional state.
• Sleep most part of the night.

Prevent back pain.

8 out of 10 people have certain diseases of the spine, which cause severe pain: lumbodynia, degenerative spine disease, spondylosis, spondylarthrosis, spinal disc herniation, arthritis, etc. However, some rules that seem very simple may prevent your future suffering from back pain if followed constantly.

First of all, we recommend

choosing an appropriate position for each situation. For example, when you need to pick up something from the floor, do not bend your back. Bend your knees, lop down and lift the object. If the object is heavy, lift it with both hands. The same is true if you carry a heavy bag from the store: it is better not to carry it by one hand but to carry it bringing to the chest clasping arms around. When driving a car, sitting on public transport or at your desk, sit deep in a chair or armchair with your back straight and your feet resting on the floor. Lower back should be slightly rounded outward, but not curved. Finally, while in bed, try to fall asleep lying on your side or on your back. Use an orthopedic pillow. If you weigh less than 50 kg, it is better to choose a soft mattress, and vice versa, a hard mattress better fits overweight people.

You should continuously strengthen your back muscles to avoid problems with the spine. Strong back muscles will help reduce the spine load. Walking will be of great help as it allows you to develop cushioning ability of the spine.

What if you feel pain in the back?

If you constantly feel pain in the back or have sudden pain attacks, there are a few ways to eliminate them: you can take analgesics, anti-inflammatory or antispasmodic drugs. Doctors may also prescribe various ointments for topical application. In any case, you should strictly follow the prescriptions. If medications fail to relive pain, hormonal blockades apply, i.e. injections directly into the location of the pain.

Your Choice

Non-drug but very effective manual techniques serve as an alternative to drug treatment. They are: osteopathy, kinesiotherapy, and manual therapy. Their advantage is that they may bring immediate relief. Moreover, only a competent professional may eliminate functional or mechanical disorders of the spine. And you can find such professionals only in our center.

Text Cranial Sacral Therapy (Level 1)

Spine is the key to your health (P. Bragg)

Spine is the only organ aging from childhood. A man walks upright and the main burden falls on the spine. According to statistics, 90% of people have certain spine disorders.

The purpose of this training is to teach everyone to help themselves and their loved ones to prevent the disease at an early stage and to get rid of back pain completely.

The program was developed for people who aim to a healthy lifestyle, value their health, are interested in non-drug methods of treatment, and want to remain dynamic, healthy and successful.

Syllabus: five training days

1. What is Osteopathy.
2. Spinal Anatomy.
3. Spine Neurophysiology (Spinal Regulation by Nervous System).
4. Concept of “Spine Functional System”.
5. Barrier Characteristics of Tissues.
6. Spinal Diseases.
7. Manual Diagnostics of Vertebrae Malposition.
8. Osteopathic Spine Treatment Techniques.
9. Osteopathy Workshops.

Our
philosophy:

Our nature consists in motion; complete rest is death.

Complete rest means death.

— Blaise Pascal