What is Structural Medicine?

What is Structural Medicine?  Structural medicine is a hands on approach to healing chronic pain. With a strong foundation of critical thinking and structural integration this bodywork creates better postural alignment addressing chronic pain and muscle restrictions within the body. Benefits often include Freedom from chronic pain and stress Feeling lighter and more energized Feeling longer with more strength Increased flexibility and fluid movement Reduced risk of injury in everyday life Integrated core movement The session begins...    Each session begins by observing the client's postural stance to visually assess their alignment. Using a client's posture as a guide, myofascial length testing (MFLT) is used to determine the range of motion for specific muscles to pinpoint the primary restrictions within the body. MFLT is essential for treatment of complex interrelated traumas.  The objective findings empower the practitioner to: * Formulate a customized plan for treatment of individual pathologies * Provide a language to communicate intelligently and objectively with other medical                                            professionals  * Provide physical measurements, pre- and post-treatment * To monitor or modify the treatment program * Enhance progress Working within the lines...  The body is a connective whole relating on multiple layers. By following these layers we can see exactly how the muscles in the toes can affect the muscles in the neck. Often times people complain of tension in their neck and shoulders, and commonly seek massage for this area. However, the problem may not originate in the neck, and therefor the pain will not be permanently addressed when only the neck is addressed. Treating the neck in this way is akin to taking a pill to relieve a symptom without ever truly finding the cause. Although this is a relatively new way for western science to view the anatomical systems, evidence of this can clearly be seen by the connective tissue that circulate throughout our bodies. For more infomation about these layers see Tom Myers, Anatomy Trains. Organizing the Fascia... Structural Medicine Specialists work with the fascia or connective tissue of the body. This elastic tissue is found encasing the whole body, as well as each individual muscle. Fascia can become leathery and compressed due to a physiological or emotional injury. Just as a snag in a sweater pulls many of the threads around it towards the snag, a compression or snag in the fascia creates a line of pulled and compressed tissue within the body. By determing where these snags are with MFLT, and treating them in a slow and gentle fashion, muscles can be given space to lengthen and freedom to move in order to work at full strength. Close up view of fascia, the connective tissue found throughout our bodies. Structural Medicine has physical,  emotional, and spiritual benefits - the goal being that you feel more alive.                                                                        - Donna Bajelis                       Founder of ISM