Osteopaths and other manual therapists have often been called “magicians”. While that’s a flattering compliment, the reality is a bit more grounded in science. When you come to an osteopathic clinic, you’re usually in pain. That pain might have been there for 6 hours, 6 months or 6 years. Sometimes, after just one session, you can walk out feeling almost pain?free. It can feel like magic—but there’s a clear reason behind it.
How does manual therapy work?
When osteopaths rub, crack, needle, cup and articulate, they are working with your central nervous system. In simple terms, they are sending signals to your brain that an area is safer than it thinks, so it can reduce its “protective” response.
Pain is one of the brain’s protection tools. Your brain uses pain to reduce the risk of something bad happening to a part of your body—whether or not there is actual tissue damage.
- When you roll your ankle, you get pain, swelling, redness, warmth and loss of function. This is usually due to real tissue damage.
- When you “jar” your neck, there is often no tissue damage, but you still feel pain and stiffness. Receptors in your spine tell your brain that the area is under too much load. In response, the brain tightens the muscles around your neck to protect it.
In both situations, you feel pain, but what’s happening under the skin is different. In the ankle, damaged tissue is sending pain signals. In the neck, the brain is creating pain as a warning, even without structural damage.
In both cases, osteopaths aim to reduce pain and restore function as quickly and safely as possible. Sometimes hands?on treatment alone is enough to make a big change. Other times, your osteopath will also prescribe exercises for you to do at home. This “homework” is a crucial part of your recovery.
Why your “homework” matters
When you’re in pain, your body cleverly finds ways to keep you moving. It creates compensations so you can function, even when one area isn’t working well.
For example, if your neck is painful and stiff, your shoulders, upper back and arms may start doing extra work to make up for the lack of movement in your neck. Over time, this can overload those areas and cause new pain.
Rehabilitation exercises help break this cycle:
-
Settle the injured area
Early on, your osteopath may prescribe gentle stretches or self?massage techniques to reduce pain and tension. -
Restore normal movement
When it’s safe, you’ll progress to movement?based exercises. These help reintroduce normal motion and function to the previously injured area so each part of your body can go back to doing its own job. -
Build strength and confidence
Once pain has eased and movement has improved, strength exercises are added for both the injured area and the surrounding regions. This helps reduce the risk of the same injury happening again.
Your brain “remembers” areas that have been injured. If you strengthen those areas, you give your brain more confidence in that part of your body. This can reduce its need to protect the area with pain and sensitivity.
The bigger picture
Most of us will experience pain at some point in our lives. It’s not pleasant, and no one wants it to keep coming back. With the right guidance, some effort and persistence, you can:
- Reduce your pain
- Restore your function
- Lower the chance of the same problem returning
Manual therapy can help kick?start this process, but your active involvement—especially with your exercises—is what turns “magic” into long?term change.
Book your appointment with an Osteopath HERE.
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Great post Tim! Very informative and makes lots of sense! I personally have had great results with this combined approach, so important to do that homework for optimal function! Thank you!