It is generally known that the flexibility and mobility of the muscles and joints are important aspect for our body motion. However, the importance of the visceral (organs/intestines) mobility for our body function is not commonly known concept. Each organ in our baby is free to move. This is mobility that occurs with our all body movement as well as with breathing motion. You can feel this mobility by placing your hand on your abdomen and bending forward and bending backward. You should you’re your visceral content fold when you bend forward, and elongate when you bend backward.
In fact, your viscera are all made up of muscle called the smooth muscle and similar to skeletal muscles they require extensibility. Therefore, when there is restriction or adhesion in the viscera your body movements will be restricted as well.
Some of the causes for visceral restrictions and adhesions are trauma and/or impact to the abdomen, surgical procedures of the abdomen, sensitivity and allergic reaction to foods, infections of the viscera, dehydration, etc. The visceral organs are innervated by autonomic nervous system; therefore, your viscera can be negatively influenced when you have too much stress and your sympathetic nervous system is dominant. Have you ever felt stomach ache when you are nervous?
These problems can cause visceral restrictions and adhesions, which causes restrictions in the body motion. This causes compensatory movement as well as changes to your spinal and pelvic alignment affecting your posture. If you experience recidivism of your symptom even after multiple treatments, your visceral restriction and adhesion may be the underlying cause of your symptom.
At FuncPhysio, therapists are trained to perform treatment of the viscera called the visceral mobilization/manipulation. It is a direct treatment approach to the specific visceral structures in dysfunctional state. It requires in-depth understanding of the anatomy and very specific palpation skills to identify areas of restriction and adhesion.
Furthermore, when you have visceral restrictions and adhesions, it is not uncommon for a person to experience the decreased function of the visceral organ that is affected. For example: if you have restriction and adhesion of the large intestine you may have constipation, or if you have restriction and adhesion of the stomach you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease. When the causes of these symptoms are from visceral restrictions and adhesions, we frequently see an improvement after visceral mobilization/manipulation.
Do you have low back pain, back pain, and/or neck pain that keeps coming back even with regular treatment? Or abdominal issues or bloating?
Please contact FuncPhysio if you have questions or if you are interested.
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