What is Visceral Manipulation?
I have recently started training in Visceral Manipulation with the Barral Institute and I am very excited to be bringing this treatment approach to Absolute Kinetics. Visceral Manipulation was developed by world-renowned French Osteopath and Physical Therapist Jean-Pierre Barral.
Visceral Manipulation has been found to be beneficial for many disorders, including digestive disorders, acute and chronic pain and injury, women's and men's pelvic health issues, musculoskeletal disorders, emotional issues, and more. This treatment approach evaluates and treats the dynamics of motion in relation to organs, membranes, fascia, and ligaments. The goal of Visceral Manipulation is to improve awareness and communication in the body through gentle manual techniques to the organs.
Your organs need to move to stay healthy. Limitations in organ movement can be caused by stress, surgery, pregnancy, inflammation, etc. Restrictions in the organs can have a negative effect on the function of the organ, as well as limit the movement of our musculoskeletal system. Our organs are attached to one another, as well as other parts of our skeletal system, through connective tissue such as ligaments and fascia. Therefore a restriction in an organ may cause pain or restrictions in other areas of the body through these connections.
So who can benefit from Visceral Manipulation? Honestly, everyone can benefit from Visceral Manipulation! It is a great technique to assess and treat organs in order to maximize function and movement. The Barral Institute has listed several specific diagnoses that can benefit from Visceral Manipulation on their website here. In terms of what we treat at Absolute Kinetics, patients dealing with acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain or pelvic health disorders can greatly benefit from adding these techniques into their treatment plans.
Interested in learning more about Visceral Manipulation? Contact me directly at alexis@absolutekineticspt.com. You can also schedule with me at the link above!
Blog post written by Dr. Alexis Hutchison, PT, DPT, OCS