Médecine Ostéopathic: How does it work !...
How does it work
Osteopathic medicine is both very simple and complex...
This page aims to explain, in very simple terms, how osteopathic medicine works.
It also reflects how we perceive the impact of our interventions within our professional practice.
Furthermore, it mirrors the explanations we provide to our patients—whether to answer their questions or to help them understand what we do.
While the points discussed below may perhaps seem a bit simplistic to our fellow practitioners, they may well capture the interest of osteopathy students and, hopefully, help everyone understand "how it works!"
Introduction
First and foremost, it must be said that the human body is a marvelous machine, composed of a vast number of anatomical elements that function as a whole—often through "antagonistic synergy" (where components operate simultaneously while exerting opposing actions). In short, the body can be described as a mechanism that is both remarkably simple and incredibly complex, given the multitude of parts that comprise it.
An osteopath is a practitioner who, in their approach and clinical reasoning, considers the "human machine" in its entirety—encompassing physical, psychological, and environmental dimensions. In a sense, they act as a "mechanic for the human body."
The Practitioners
Those who hold a D.O. (Diploma in Osteopathy) have all successfully completed a core foundational training program.
However, clinical practice varies from one practitioner to another. During their studies, they are introduced to a wide array of "tools"—osteopathic manipulative techniques—which they may choose to employ based on their personal clinical intuition, established habits, or the specific needs of their patients. This accounts for the apparent differences one might observe between one practice and another.
Yet, the ultimate goal of their intervention remains the same: to improve and restore balance to the patient’s "mechanical functionality."
- The different mechanical levels:
For the sake of simplicity, we will focus on just two: mobility and motility.
Mobility
Mobility is fairly straightforward to understand: it refers to the movement of one element in space relative to another.
In the human body, all the anatomical entities that compose it—such as organs, bones, blood vessels, and nerves—must be able to move in relation to one another in order to function correctly and fulfill their roles for the benefit of the entire organism.
Mobility can be disrupted for various reasons, including muscle spasms, a loss of elasticity in structures (leading to stiffness), or trauma. An osteopath identifies these dysfunctions and, whenever technically feasible, works to restore the lost mobility.
Motility
This refers to the movement of the body's tissues within themselves.
To explain this simply, let’s consider an organ: the liver.
Think of it as a sponge.
Its *mobility* is demonstrated when you move the sponge through space to clean something; it undergoes an actual, easily perceptible displacement.
Its *motility*, by contrast, is the twisting motion applied to the sponge when you wring it out to clean or rinse it.
This can be likened to a form of "tissue respiration" that occurs across all three planes of space.
The driving force behind this "respiration" is the autonomic nervous system, which—in very simplified terms—consists of two components: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. These systems alternate, causing the tissues of the liver to contract and relax at a rate of about 4 to 5 cycles per minute. These are micro-movements that must occur properly to ensure the delivery of nutrients to the organ's cells and the drainage of waste products.
Motility movements must take place simultaneously across all three planes of space. Disruption of mobility leads to interference with motility.
Interference with motility disrupts mobility.
When the cumulative effect of these reciprocal dysfunctions is significant, it often gives rise to various types of symptoms (such as pain, or respiratory, digestive, or vascular issues).
Symptoms are merely the tip of the iceberg, as the root causes of the underlying dysfunctions are often located far from where the symptoms manifest. This makes establishing clear cause-and-effect relationships quite difficult.
The body is highly adept at organizing complex chains of compensation in an attempt to resolve its own dysfunctions. When these efforts fail, symptoms—such as pain or illness—emerge.
The practitioner must identify the chains of dysfunction (involving both *mobility* and *motility*) throughout the entire body and, using specific techniques, work to release the resulting "knots"—provided, of course, that such a release is possible.
An osteopath is not a magician; rather, they act as a catalyst, enabling the body to free itself from functional imbalances. In a sense, the practitioner provides a "fulcrum" or point of support for the body—much like other medical approaches do in their own distinct ways—because, ultimately, only the body itself possesses the true power to heal.
Setting aside genetic factors, the causes of bodily dysfunction can be classified into three broad categories :
1: Traumatic causes
These encompass all the physical traumas one may experience throughout life (such as accidents, impacts, burns, etc.).
2 : Les causes Métaboliques
Elles regroupent les agressions et envahissements de l'organisme par des produits chimiques (médicaments, alcool, tabac, pollution, alimentation...)
3: Emotional Causes
To understand these, I must first explain how the "environment" in which a human lives influences their functioning.
We perceive our surroundings through our five sensory organs (hearing, taste, smell, sight, and touch). Without them, we would have no awareness of the external world.
To put it very simply, the synthesis our brain creates from all this information takes place at the level of the pituitary gland—a "pea-sized" structure located in the head (yes, we all have one!).
Broadly speaking, this area is also the origin of the autonomic (neurovegetative) and hormonal regulation that governs our body.
The way we perceive and synthesize our experiences can interfere with this autonomic regulation—either to help the body adapt to changing external conditions (such as heat or cold) or through various other stimuli (whether positive, like falling in love, or negative, such as "stress").
This dysregulation can be long-standing or recent; it may be cumulative, and it can affect one or more tissues or organs, either partially or entirely.
Conclusion
An osteopath acts much like a "mechanic," intervening in the chains of dysfunction within an organism by using manual techniques to address a patient’s *mobility* and *motility*.
While an osteopath can "untie the knots" within a patient, they cannot prevent new ones from forming. The practitioner has no control over the patient’s environment, nor over how the patient experiences that environment. Please note that osteopathy cannot alter body tissues that have undergone significant structural changes (such as osteoarthritis, bone remodeling, or tissue fibrosis), nor can it treat serious illnesses (such as cancer).
If you would like further clarification on any points, you are welcome to send me your questions via email.