Manipulative and body-based practices
Manipulative and body-based practices encompass a variety of manual techniques aimed at releasing muscle tension and enhancing circulation to support the body's natural healing processes. These therapies involve applying pressure to specific areas of the body and are believed to promote flexibility, pain relief, and relaxation. Common modalities include chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, and reflexology, each with its own approach to restoring balance and alleviating physical symptoms. While many individuals seek these therapies for conditions such as anxiety, fibromyalgia, and migraines, the scientific community remains divided on their efficacy.
Practitioners of these techniques often require state licensure and may belong to professional associations that ensure adherence to safety standards. Although generally considered safe when administered by trained professionals, patients may experience varied responses, including potential exacerbation of existing issues or minor discomfort post-treatment. Overall, manipulative and body-based practices are primarily used as complementary approaches to conventional medicine, focusing on enhancing well-being and quality of life through non-invasive means.
Manipulative and body-based practices
DEFINITION: Manual techniques that release muscle tension and increase circulation to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USES: Flexibility, pain relief, physical symptom relief, relaxation
- OTHER PROPOSED USES: Anxiety, autism, burns, depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia, headaches, hypertension, insomnia, migraines, nightmares, stress
Overview
Manipulative and body-based therapies use manual pressure to effect changes in a body’s physical state. Some techniques release muscle tension, some stimulate nerve pathways, and some aim to balance a body’s vital energy. These practices are intended to restore the body to a natural state of balance and encourage its innate healing abilities.
Manipulative and body-based therapies are often referred to by other terms or categories, such as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). While these may not cure diseases, manipulative and body-based therapies are believed to provide relief to many symptoms. There is, however, a lack of firm scientific consensus on the efficacy of these methods. Some of the more prevalent treatments include reflexology, osteopathy, and chiropractic care. Patients with cancer, in particular, are more disposed to receive these alternative treatments, especially to counter many of the side effects of conventional or invasive options.
Mechanism of Action
Acupressure is the technique of applying pressure with the fingertips to specific trigger points on the body to discharge muscle tension and release the body’s obstructed energy. Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into these trigger points and along energy meridians to disrupt neurological signals and relieve pain.
The Bowen technique, sometimes called Bowenwork, is a method of gently rolling muscles and tissues with the fingers and thumbs. These moves produce energy surges that stimulate the body to reset and heal itself. Bowen therapy also incorporates periods of rest during the treatment to allow the body to find balance.
Chiropractic is a method of practicing medicine that heals without the use of surgery or pharmaceuticals. One element of chiropractic is manipulation of the spine to restore posture, balance, and freedom from pain. Other elements of chiropractic include electrical muscle stimulation, traction, and therapeutic ultrasound.
Massage therapy is the kneading of the superficial muscles to bring more oxygen to tissues and clear waste products to reduce pain and stiffness throughout the body. It creates relaxation and enhances immune function.
Physical therapy is a treatment plan of body manipulations and exercises designed to maximize mobility and limb function impaired by injury, disease, or congenital abnormality or disorder. Progress can be measured as increased strength, range of motion, and time of unsupported balance.
Reflexology is a technique of applying manual pressure to specific sites on the hands and feet that trigger physical changes in related parts of the body. This technique targets pressure sensors in the hands and feet to disrupt reflexive stress signals and allow the body to return to a natural state.
Shiatsu is similar to acupressure in that pressure is applied with the fingertips to specific targets to clear obstructions in the body’s vital energy. This energy travels along pathways called meridians. Shiatsu differs from acupressure in that a continuous meridian, rather than a discrete trigger point, is the target.
Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). OMM uses physical manipulation of the body to improve circulation and relieve pain by altering structural imbalances of bones, tendons, and muscles. Most patients use OMM to address back pain, but therapies exist for a range of conditions.
Other techniques include Rolfing, craniosacral therapy, the Alexander technique, and the Trager approach.
Uses and Applications
Acupressure involves gradually increasing finger pressure on a specific point on the body, typically applied for three minutes. The amount of pressure, the duration of pressure, and the choice of points depend upon the present condition of the body. Acupressure has been shown to bring effective pain relief in cases of migraines, cluster headaches, neuralgia, and childbirth.
The Bowen technique involves a gentle rolling of muscles and connective tissues, yet it targets the nervous and bioenergy systems to boost the body’s natural ability to heal and balance itself. Bowen therapy has been shown to bring effective pain relief in cases of fibromyalgia, sciatica, migraine, and frozen shoulder. It is also used to manage aspects of anxiety and panic attacks, Parkinson’s disease, and cerebral palsy.
Chiropractic treatment often involves the realignment of the spinal column to ease any irritation to the spinal nerves that may be causing pain or malfunction. It brings effective pain relief in cases of headaches, neck pain, lower back strain, and sciatica.
Massage therapy manipulates muscles to increase the circulation of blood and lymph. Additional benefits include increased muscle relaxation, the release of endorphins and serotonin, and improved sleep. Massage therapy may be practiced to promote muscle recovery in athletes; to prevent the formation of scar tissue in persons recovering from surgery, trauma, or burns; and to ease depression.
Physical therapy works to improve a person’s mobility to promote independence and enhance the quality of life. Each treatment plan is tailored to the patient’s present condition and the underlying cause of the impairment. Physical therapy is commonly prescribed following joint replacement and limb amputation.
Reflexology is based on a connection between sites on the hands and feet and the corresponding internal organs. Thus, it is often sought as a noninvasive, nonpharmacological treatment for hormonal imbalances, infertility, sleep disorders, and adverse stress effects.
Like other manipulative body techniques, Shiatsu promotes relaxation, increased flexibility, and enhanced stamina. It also affects the digestive and endocrine systems and may be used to treat constipation, insomnia, and metabolic disorders.
Scientific Evidence
Double-blind studies are difficult to apply to manipulative and body-based therapies because the subjects know what therapy they are receiving. The effectiveness of such therapies may be demonstrated, however, by measuring specific parameters before and after treatment and determining the statistical significance of any difference in a population of subjects. Such parameters include quantitative range of motion and grip strength; blood levels of serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and cortisol; and qualitative scales of pain, depression, and disability. Effectiveness may also be compared among therapies and compared with self-care or pharmacological treatment alone.
Choosing a Practitioner
Qualified practitioners are typically required to hold a current state license; the names of licensed practitioners are available from each state’s licensing board. Many practitioners are members of professional associations, like the American Massage Therapy Association, the American Chiropractic Association, and the Reflexology Association of America, that list providers on their websites based on geographical area.
Safety Issues
Trained, licensed professionals often hold certificates in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to address unexpected reactions to therapy. Because each person’s body is different, the reaction to therapy may vary. Injuries may be exacerbated, bruising and swelling may occur, and pain may persist after treatment from nerve inflammation and muscle aches.
Bibliography
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Baker, Julian. The Bowen Technique. Champaign, Human Kinetics, 2002.
Calcagni, Nicolas, et. al. "A Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Oncology: Psychological and Physical Effects of Manipulative and Body-based Practices." PLoS One, 17 Oct. 2019. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223564. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Gach, Michael Reed, and Beth Ann Henning. Acupressure for Emotional Healing: A Self-Care Guide for Trauma, Stress, and Common Emotional Imbalances. New York, Bantam Books, 2004.
"Massage and Health." American Massage Therapy Association, www.amtamassage.org/resources/massage-and-health. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
"Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT)." Cleveland Clinic, 18 Jan. 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/9095-omt-osteopathic-manipulation-treatment. Accessed 29 Sept. 2024.
Silva, Sandra, and Kirsten Nunez. "What Is Bowen Therapy for and Does It Work?" Healthline, 18 Sept. 2024, www.healthline.com/health/bowen-therapy. Accessed 29 Sept. 2024.
"What Research Shows about Chiropractic." American Chiropractic Association, www.acatoday.org/research/what-research-shows. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.