What is Ortho-Bionomy?
Developed by British osteopath Dr Arthur Lincoln Pauls in the 1970s, Ortho-Bionomy is a noninvasive healing method that is designed to address conditions associated with pain and stress. It is based on the principle that a gentle and noninvasive body alignment has a positive effect on various physical and emotional disorders.
How Does Ortho-Bionomy Work?
Based on osteopathic principles, Ortho-Bionomy Therapy focuses primarily on facilitating the natural self-healing and self-regulating responses of the body. To obtain these responses, the practitioner gently works on the body's structural, fluid, and/or energetic imbalances to stimulate its innate self-regulating mechanisms. In return, the comfort and ease of movement within the client is supported. This technique is very safe even for those people who have limitations due to age, illness or injury.
The techniques used in Ortho-Bionomy Therapy vary from the physical and structural, to a more fluid based, then to the purely energetic. These allow the practitioner to tailor their treatment plan to the client's condition. Some of the techniques used include:
- Cranial and visceral balancing
- Gentle rocking
- Isometric and isotonic techniques
- Neuroendocrine balancing
- Neurolymphatic balancing
- Positional release
- Postural re-education and self-care exercises
- Range-of-motion exploration
- Static holding
- Subtle or minute movements
- Work in the energy field of the body
What are the Benefits of Ortho-Bionomy?
Ortho-Bionomy Therapy is primarily used to help alleviate chronic pain associated with injuries, muscle and joint problems, and arthritis. It can also help with structural problems, autoimmune conditions and other physical conditions linked to emotional stress. Among the conditions it can help with include:
- Chronic stress
- Poor blood circulation
- Poor posture
- Chronic back, neck and knee pain
- Frozen shoulder
- Headaches and migraines
- Osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Scoliosis
- Sprains
- Muscle knots
- Immobility
What Can You Expect From Ortho-Bionomy?
An Ortho-Bionomy treatment session does not involve forceful manipulation techniques. Expect the one-hour session to be gentle and pain-free from start to finish. Before the treatment process begins, the practitioner sits down with the client to assess their health and identify the source of their pain. The latter will be asked to perform basic movements or postural positions while the practitioner notes down what causes them pain and identifies its root cause.
The client remains fully clothed throughout the treatment session while the practitioner works on the restricted areas of their body. The treatment doesn't involve any special equipment, just gentle contact, movement, compression and positioning of the muscle or soft tissue to resolve pain, imbalance or injury.
Unlike other bodywork techniques that stretch the muscles to loosen them up, Ortho-Bionomy focuses on placing the problem area in an exaggerated position to relax the muscles surrounding it and allow the body to self-correct the issue using its natural reflexes.
The number of treatment sessions a client needs depends on the severity of their condition as well as how their body responds to the treatment. Ortho-Bionomy can be used as a stand-alone treatment or as an adjunct to other conventional or complementary therapies.
Is Ortho-Bionomy Safe?
Anyone, regardless of age, will benefit from the healing mechanism of Ortho-Bionomy Therapy. It is, in fact, considered generally safe for newborns, the elderly, and for people in post-operative conditions. Dancers and athletes may improve their performances with this therapy by improving balance and increasing flexibility.
