CRANIAL/ BIODYNAMICS OSTEOPATHY

Osteopathy in the Cranial Field and Biodynamic Osteopathy, offer a gentle non-invasive approach to enhancing overall health and well-being.  By supporting the body’s natural healing mechanisms, these methods work with the subtle, rhythmic movements of the cranial bones and cerebral spinal fluid. This gentle approach helps release tension and restrictions of the membranes and fluids surrounding the brain, spinal cord and bones, promoting optimal nervous system and immune function. This approach may help relieve symptoms related to:

• Acute or chronic pain,
• Headaches, concussion
• Stress
• Anxiety-related symptoms
• Depression
• Worry
• Panic attacks
• Sleep disturbances
• Exhaustion
• Gut-related issues
• Trauma
• Pregnancy related symptoms

Cranial/Biodynamic Osteopathy supports the body’s natural healing processes which may be felt during or after treatment. In the days following a session, you may also experience some shifts in your overall well-being as your body continues to adjust.

History

Osteopathy in the Cranial Field (OCF) was developed by William Garner Sutherland (1873 -1954). He was a dedicated student of A.T. Still and began his discovery of OCF after disassembling cranial bones. Realising how these bones moved with each other, they reminded him of the respiration and motion of the gills of fish.

W.G. Sutherland built upon the principles of A.T. Still’s Osteopathy and through consistent investigation, discovered that a person’s cranial bones could move and influence health and wellbeing throughout the whole body. His model of the “Primary Respiratory Mechanism” (PRM) describes a subtle rhythmic motion within the body that influences health and vitality. This concept relates to the movement of the cerebral spinal fluid and natural rhythms inherent in the body.

Sutherland’s theory of the PRM is based on five components:

• Fluctuation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or the potency of the Tide – The rhythmic movement of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, playing a role in nourishing the brain, cushioning it from trauma, and facilitating waste removal.
• Function of the reciprocal tension membrane (RTM) – The RTM refers to the dural membranes that connect the cranium and the sacrum. forming a continuous structure  integral to maintaining the balance and distribution of tension throughout the body.
• Motility of the neural tube – The early developmental structure that becomes the brain and spinal cord where there is an emphasis on the continued, subtle movement of this structure throughout life into adulthood and helps maintain a healthy and functional nervous system, supporting optimal fluid dynamics and nervous system flexibility.
• Articular mobility of the cranial bones – The cranial bones are connected by sutures that allow for very subtle movement, especially during respiration supporting the movement of CSF and maintaining functional integrity of the central nervous system.
• Involuntary mobility of the sacrum between the ilia – The sacrum is a connected to the ilia (hip bones) through the sacroiliac joints allowing for subtle, involuntary movement, which plays a role in maintaining balance and stability within the body. The RTM, extending between the cranium and sacrum, influences the movement and coordination of these structures, ensuring that the body’s cranial and spinal tensional membranes work in harmony throughout the body affecting lymph and blood circulation.

Biodynamic Osteopathy Building on Sutherland’s work, James Jealous D.O., a 1970 graduate of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, developed Biodynamic Osteopathy in the early 1990s. Influenced by the legacy of  A.T. Still and W.G. Sutherland’s as well as human anatomist and embryologist  Erich Blechschmidt (1904-1992),  James Jealous emphasised the body’s inherent healing forces and subtle rhythms which he termed “Primary Respiration” and “The Breath of Life” continue to function throughout our lifetime in development, growth, and healing.

Jealous taught that the body’s inherent healing forces and subtle rhythms, which he termed “Primary Respiration” and the “Breath of Life,” guide health and healing. He believed these inherent healing capacities could be accessed and supported through skilled, non-invasive touch. Biodynamic Osteopathy emphasises cooperation with the body’s natural healing mechanisms rather than imposing external forces upon it, aiming to rebalance various body systems including the autonomic nervous system and the immune system.