Cranial Structural Therapy is a gentle yet powerful technique that is effective in releasing neck pain, back pain, and mental stress (among other things). It does this by optimizing the movement of cerebrospinal fluid through the spine and around the skull. Developed by physician William Sutherland, this therapy provides a very soothing and relaxing healing experience.
For many clients this is included with bodywork to get more results faster with each treatment session.
Structural Restoration Therapy
Structural Restoration Therapy is a body restructuring therapy that incorporates advanced massage techniques and a cranial approach to muscular skeletal dysfunction. Based on the individual needs of the client, therapy works from the client’s problem areas and releases the specific areas of pain. Often, a structural imbalance is responsible for the soft tissue problems that cause the discomfort. Restructuring the body by releasing muscle inhibitions, the toxins and excessive fluids in the muscles; inflammation; myofascial holding patterns; adhesions and scar tissue. Once the pain (usually the initial complaint) is reduced, the therapist works to release the other structural limitations that were responsible for allowing the body to maintain the structural imbalances that produced the pain. For example, in a whiplash injury, the neck muscles are treated and brought back into a more balanced position, resulting in reduced pain. To maintain this balance and achieve the maximum reduction in pain, the structural limitations and imbalances of the pelvis and thoracic need to be addressed. This will result in a total structural balance that supports the neck, enabling the neck to maintain its new pain-free structure.
What to Expect During a SRT Treatment
A SRT session begins with an evaluation that includes a written client intake form, a consultation to further access the client’s condition, and postural analysis. Treatments usually begin with cranial/structural therapy to initiate a release of the body’s holding patterns, and thereby begins the rebalancing. At this point, the client’s body begins to unwind. This often releases enough tension to noticeably reduce spasms and pain symptoms, preparing the soft tissue for more extensive work. During each session clients are encouraged to ask questions, make comments and give feedback for the success of therapy session.
Following the cranial releases, the SRT therapist can work from the superficial myofascial layers to the deeper layers in the first session. The therapist uses a combination of myofascial restructuring, deep tissue therapy, scar tissue and adhesion-specific fiber techniques, active and passive resistance, rehabilitative massage, and allows for emotional energy releases. As the client’s body unwinds and releases, the tight muscle fibers that are resisting the unwinding process are specifically addressed. Since the SRT therapist can work from the superficial to deep layers in one session, the result is increased balance and pain relief beginning with the first session.
Each additional session starts with an evaluation of the client’s progress, both subjectively and objectively. This is followed with a postural analysis to determine the limiting factor affecting recovery, and muscle testing to verify postural analysis observations. The treatment process is the same as in the first session, addressing the specific patterns and restrictions presented at the time.
Using applied kinesiology to find dysfunction and body reading to identify postural imbalances, SRT treatments are the most effective and time efficient massage therapy practiced. The vast majority of people are born with a basic core distortion, or spiral distortion, affecting the whole body. Through an accumulation of repetitive motions, poor postural patterns, and gravity as well as physical, mental, and psychological compensations, the body tends to move into a progressive collapse of this core distortion which can result in painful symptoms, conditions, and restrictions throughout the body.
Clients with acute problems usually have more toxins, swelling, and inflammation in their soft tissues. These are addressed more than the myofascial changes initially. As the toxins, swelling, and inflammation are reduced, the emphasis shifts to the myofascial changes necessary to balance the overall structure.
Clients with chronic problems also need a similar sequence to those with acute problems. However, they usually do not notice a substantial reduction of pain until the structural changes are integrated. Their bodies have had more time to involve the entire structure in a distortion that supports the problem.
After SRT Treatments
As the structure integrates into balance and support, clients will usually start to use their bodies more completely in their normal day-to-day activities. At this point, their bodies need to be strengthened to support their new structurally aligned posture. It is important for the clients to be aware that they may not be as strong as they feel, and to allow time to build strength before using their bodies in maximum effort (either in strength or endurance). If they overdo, they usually collapse back to their old structure and end up in pain, or strain muscle fibers that are not conditioned for heavy work. Exercises to strengthen the (intrinsic) stabilizing muscles are more helpful than exercises that strengthen the (extrinsic) muscles, large muscle groups, that move the body. Additional mobilizations exercises enhance the therapy session.
Sessions are scheduled based on the client’s needs. In the early stages of treatment, clients may need to see the therapist as often as twice a week to initiate the tissue and structural changes. As the client’s symptoms abate and structure is balanced, the sessions are optimally scheduled once a week. As a client maintains the new structure pain-free for a week, scheduling increases to ten days. When the client maintains the structure pain-free for ten days, scheduling moves to every two weeks, and so on as needed.
SRT compliments standard medical treatments, and chiropractic, as a primary and an adjunct therapy. SRT addresses a host of conditions including headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel, nerve entrapment, hip pain, knee pain, back pain, herniated or bulging discs, hiatal hernia, sciatica, arthritis, scoliosis, TMJ, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, whiplash, and many other complaints. Acute and chronic pain conditions are treated with the client’s needs in mind. YOU REALLY CAN FEEL BETTER!
Developed by Aaron Mattes, Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is a dynamic system for improving your flexibility and overall well-being. As you probably already know, stretching your muscles not only reduces your chance of injury, but also strengthens your tendons and improves your circulation.