FASCIA MASSAGE AND THE WORLD OF âFASCINATINGâ FASCIAE
Without a doubt, fasciae count among the âfascinatingâ components of our body. Consisting of collagens, elastane and water, they surround the muscles and organs in our body and act, so to speak, as a link between the bones and the muscles. The unity of all fasciae forms a so-called âconnective tissue networkâ or âfascial skeletonâ, which runs through the entire human body.
It is therefore hardly surprising that external and internal influences such as lack of sleep, negative stress or unhealthy nutrition, which in turn cause biochemical processes in the body, can quickly have negative effects on the aforementioned fascial skeleton. In this case, the connective or fascia tissue, which serves as a temporary store of superflous substances in the body, is kind of âoverloadedâ. This often manifests as deep-seated pain in various parts of the body, for example in the region of the thoracolumbar fascia in the back. By means of targeted punctual pressure massages and targeted fascial osteopathic corrections, the affected connective tissue is âunloadedâ, as it were, and encroachment on internal organs is prevented.
In the SOKAI – Practice for Osteopathy, Physiotherapy & Massage, especially fascia massage is used, the depth effect and punctual tissue stimulation of which goes far beyond that of a conventional massage, which in turn usually targets individual muscle groups. Fascia massage is a manual therapy treating stressed tissue in a targeted manner, including deep layers. Our SOKAI massage therapists apply the thumb-to-thumb technique to stroke out the fasciae longitudinally in order to loosen or âdecongestâ the existing hardening and compression in the fascial skeleton. The targeted stimulation of the collagenous tissue structures stimulates blood circulation and improves the distribution of nutrients within the agglutinated tissue.
Advantages of SOKAI fascia massage versus so-called fascia tools
A number of fascia researchers have now succeeded in visualizing damaged fascia using ultrasound (sono-elastography) and observing the âfascinatingâ play of fascia under the electron microscopeâincluding how it behaves under therapeutic influence. As soon as a therapist lends a hand, it can be clearly seen how an agglutinated fascia tissueâwhich is displayed as a knotted and compressed tangleâgradually returns to normal.The SOKAI fascia massage is a particularly suitable method for this and should initially be used three times for 30 minutes over a period of three weeks.
Conventional fascia tools such as rollers, balls or so-called massage guns, which are used on one’s own, are usually made of rigid material and can cause bruising and tissue damage if used in the wrong dosage. The advantage of a fascia massage, on the other hand, is obvious: it acts mechanically on the fascia, with the problem areas and compacted points being felt by hand and treated in a targeted and sensitive manner. The points of pain are precisely localized and the intensity of pressure or the depth of the treatment is individually adjusted by the SOKAI massage therapist. At SOKAI you can book fascia massages or a myofascial osteopathic treatment with or without a medical prescription. A negative corona quick test is not required prior to showing up at our office. Available appointments can be viewed online, or simply schedule your desired appointment by calling the SOKAI hotline at 0177 – 7669480!
OSTEOPATHYâALTERNATIVE HEALING METHOD OR USEFUL SUPPLEMENT TO CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE?
For some, it has long been the treatment of choice for many medical complaints, while others still place it somewhere between Bach flowers, the placebo effect and SchĂźĂler salts. The position of osteopathy has not been clarifiedâneither in scientific discourse nor in the perception of patients. This is because dusty encyclopedia and dictionary entries continue to define osteopathy in very abbreviated terms as “alternative medicine”, thus creating the impression that it is incompatible with established medicine and questions conventional treatment methods.âThis is a misconception.
OSTEOPATHY AND CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER
Although osteopathy and conventional medicine differ in their treatment methods, they are based on the same scientific principles and human medical knowledge. This enables interdisciplinary cooperationâosteopathy and conventional medicine are not mutually exclusive, but complement each other and can thus achieve synergistic effects in treatment. Where conventional treatment methods do not bring about any improvements or are only effective very slowly, osteopathic treatment can be used to accompany therapy in order to stimulate the bodyâs self-healing powers. Where, on the other hand, these are not sufficient to allow the body to heal (for example, in acute illnesses, physical trauma or psychological problems), osteopathy reaches its limits and the practicing osteopath will recommend further treatment by a specialized physician.
SCIENTIFIC RECOGNITION OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
The demand for osteopathic treatments is constantly increasing and, depending on the clinical condition, is being recommended more and more often even by conventional medical practitioners as a concomitant therapy. Nevertheless, osteopathy still lacks a transnational scientific recognition. This is all the more surprising as osteopathy (especially parietal and visceral osteopathy) fulfills the criteria of âscientificityâ in a safe, effective and teachable way: A relevant and growing number of scientific papers and studies are available, the therapeutic efficacy of osteopathic treatments has been proven for a number of different disease patterns, and bachelorâs and masterâs degree programs in âosteopathyâ are increasingly being offered (also in Germany) at academies and private universities (e.g., at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Idstein).
OSTEOPATHIC SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON THE RISE IN GERMANY
The increasing organization of osteopathic education at university level as well as the practice of osteopathic treatment methods by more and more physicians and non-medical practitioners show that osteopathy is neither alternative nor unscientific in its therapeutic approach. On the contrary, it is a dynamically growing area of work and research, which is also becoming increasingly popular in Germany and which has resulted in a considerable number of qualitative clinical studies in recent years. As an independent medical specialty with a multitude of diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities and a growing recognition by conventional medical practitioners, osteopathy has long been on its way to establishing itself as an integral part of classical school medicine. The misleading categorization as âalternative medicineâ should therefore finally be deleted and replaced by the more appropriate term âcomplementary medicineâ. The time has come for osteopathy and conventional medicine no longer to be regarded as opposing poles, but for more attention to be paid to their commonalities and the possibility of mutual complementation.
OSTEOPATHY FRANKFURTâIMPROVING STABILITY IN THE SADDLE FOR RIDERS
Whether in Frankfurt or elsewhere: Experienced riders do not immediately fall off the horse when it stumbles, makes a jump sideways or even jerks its head down.
A good rider will balance this out. And yet, such âtriflesâ can lead to serious long-term consequences if uneven movements have caused blockages in joints or muscle tension. Worse happens in case a rider falls. Here the bodyâoften that of the horse and the riderâis exposed to strong forces that can lead to incisive lesions. In some cases, the consequences do not appear until months after an accident and cannot immediately be linked to the cause, since they do not have to occur in the same region of the body thatâe.g. during a fallâwas apparently most affected. This can be illustrated by the example of headaches: they can have a wide variety of causesâback pain, lack of fluid, high blood pressure, etc. The head itself only feels the effect.
OSTEOPATHY GETS TO THE BOTTOM OF SYMPTOMS
A good osteopath gets to the bottom of symptoms and, by examining the body closely, can find the cause of the riderâs problems and treat them. This is all the more important because horses are extremely sensitive animals that notice any disturbance in the riderâs body sensation. These tensions can then be transferred from the rider to the horse, but of course also vice versa from the horse to its rider.
Necessary is here an osteopathic treatment of both. Therefore we recommend our patients to make regular appointments not only for themselves but also for their four-legged friend with a therapist specialized in horses.
However, treatment of the rider is not only useful after one of the above incidents, but can have an overall positive effect on the connection between horse and rider. In a 2013 study, Charlotte Nevison and Matthew Timmis found strong evidence that the riderâs seat improved greatly after physiotherapy treatment of their pelvis compared to a control group without treatment.
THE LISTENING TEST SHOWS MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS
A rider can find out for himself whether he suffers from movement restrictions by means of the so-called Listening Test.
He or she positions him-/herself relaxed and straight on a solid surface. The feet are close together. Another person places a hand lightly on his/her head. Now the rider closes his/her eyes. If the riderâs body tilts forward, this indicates a problem on the front side of the body, if it tilts backward, this indicates a problem on the back side of the body. If these movements are significant, we recommend a consultation with a good osteopath, who can relieve muscle tension, blockages and movement restrictions.
The team of SOKAI Osteopathy Frankfurt is looking forward to your contact.
Sources:
Nevison, Charlotte & Timmis, Matthew (2013). The effect of physiotherapy intervention to the pelvic region of experienced riders on seated postural stability and the symmetry of pressure distribution to the saddle: A preliminary study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research. 8. 261â264. 10.1016/j.jveb.2013.01.005.