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Osteopathic Manipulation – Hollywood, FL

A Hands-On Way
to Stop Pain

When your body is injured, it is thrown out of balance. Restoring that balance is key to stopping your pain and allowing your body to heal. Osteopathic manipulation is a hands-on technique that has been shown to shorten recovery times and help patients find relief from their pain so that they can go back to their normal routines without having to take medication or undergo surgery. Our experts at the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics offer gentle, highly effective osteopathic manipulations that yield excellent long-term results. Contact us today to learn more about osteopathic manipulation in Hollywood, FL and schedule an appointment.

Why Choose the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics
for Osteopathic Manipulation?

  • Solutions for Head, Neck, Back, and Other Types of Pain
  • Personalized Treatment Plans for All Patients
  • Treatment That Works with Body for Fast Results

Muscle Energy / Isometrics

Doctor and patient during muscle energy isometrics appointment

Isometric exercises involve the contraction of specific muscles or muscle groups, but you do not actively move during the exercise. For example, “planking” and many yoga poses where you stay still are examples of isometric exercises that you may have heard of. At our practice, we employ isometrics by having you extend or contract a specific muscle. We then apply resistance in the opposite direction with our hands so that the muscle is engaged even while it remains still, providing pain relief and encouraging blood flow to the area. This can sometimes loosen up tendons that are tense or stuck in place, thus freeing up movement and allowing for a larger range of motion.

Learn More About Muscle Energy

Cranial Osteopathy

Doctor providing cranial osteopathy

Osteopathy is a drug-free, non-invasive treatment that involves manipulating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework to improve your overall health. Cranial osteopathy follows the same principles but focuses specifically on the anatomy and physiology of your head. Our experts will feel out areas of your body where tension and tissue quality have been changed in order to locate areas where strain or dysfunction have occurred. Once we have located these key areas, we can employ treatments to stimulate the body’s healing processes. When needed, we will provide gentle and specific support to the treated areas in order to restore the balance of the tissues and improve their overall health, thus speeding up the recovery process.

Cranial Osteopathy FAQs

Woman relaxing during cranial osteopathy session in Hollywood

Would you like to know more about cranial osteopathy so you can determine if it would be a good choice for you? Below, you will find answers to some common questions about this special form of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). If you would like additional information, reach out to our team. We are always happy to speak to patients and prospective patients with the goal of helping them make confident decisions about their care.

Is Cranial Osteopathy the Same as a Head Massage?

To a casual observer, cranial osteopathy may look quite similar to a common head massage. The reality, though, is that they are quite different, both in their goals and in the techniques used. Massage has a muscle-related focus; it can release tension and help patients relax and reduce their stress levels.

Conversely, cranial osteopathy is all about the orientation of the tissues and bones in the head. It helps to diagnose and treat various ailments.

Can a Chiropractor or Massage Therapist Perform Cranial Osteopathy?

No. Cranial osteopathy is the exclusive realm of physicians. Specifically, it can only be performed by a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). Other care providers, such as chiropractors and massage therapists, have not undergone the extensive training necessary in order to provide safe, effective cranial osteopathic treatments.

How Many Sessions of Cranial Osteopathy Will I Need?

The answer to this question varies from person to person. First, your DO will examine you to determine if you are a candidate for cranial osteopathy, or if another form of treatment would be better suited to your situation.

If you proceed with it, it may take one or two sessions just to diagnose the issues plaguing you. Thereafter, the process of managing or eliminating your symptoms might require several sessions. It really depends on how your body responds to the therapy.

What Does Cranial Osteopathy Feel Like?

During a cranial osteopathy session, you can expect your doctor to gently press on different parts of your head or slightly move it to evaluate the condition of various tissues. Because the treatment centers on the neck and head, there are no quick or sudden movements like what you would experience during a chiropractic adjustment. The specific techniques the doctor uses might focus on just one part of your head or face, depending on your treatment goals.

It is uncommon for patients to experience side effects or soreness after a cranial osteopathy session. On the contrary, many end up feeling quite refreshed.

Myofascial Release

Patient receiving myofascial release treatment

There is a thin band of tissue beneath your skin called the fascia. It’s spread all throughout your body and helps support the bones, muscles, and other structures. Your fascia can be strained or injured much like your muscles, which can cause small areas of intense pain (called trigger points) to form. The pain at the trigger points is often experienced in a wider area, but we can stop the discomfort by identifying the source and treating it via myofascial release. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also have an easier time moving your body once the fascia is no longer hindering the movement of your muscles.

Counterstrain / Positional Release

Doctor providing counterstrain positional release treatment

Did you know that a lot of your muscles work in pairs? When one muscle is engaged, the other one relaxes. For example, curling your arm to tense your biceps will relax your triceps while stretching your arm has the opposite effect. As such, many tense or injured muscles can be treated simply by placing them in a position where they are naturally relaxed. Oftentimes, these positions are things you do a daily basis without even realizing it! We can help you identify therapeutic positions and have you hold them for a few minutes at a time to significantly reduce pain right then and there. If the pain continues, you can continue these exercises at home at set times every day according to our instructions to find relief.

Facilitated Positional Release

Doctor performing facilitated positional release

Facilitated Positional Release, or FPR for short, involves positioning your body so that any strained muscles are allowed to relax. We then move those specific parts of your body to release any tension that might be left over. This type of treatment is highly effective for smaller muscles that traditional OMT would have a hard time reaching. It can also be used to realign any joints that have become injured and could be contributing to the pain as well.

High Velocity, Low Amplitude

Patient receiving high velocity low amplitude spinal treatment

Your spine is made up of a collection of vertebrae and discs that protect nerves, with the entire structure being supported by a number of muscles. This complex system has many elements that can become injured or misaligned, which is why neck and back pain are such common problems. High velocity, low amplitude (HLVA) adjustments can be used to correct any alignment problems in your spine by making quick manipulations to specific parts of your spine. The fast motions used for this treatment does not place pressure on the spine, although you may hear a pop during the session. In many cases, you’ll notice a significant reduction in pain right after your treatment.

Osteopathic Manipulation FAQs

black question mark

If you’re interested in receiving osteopathic manipulation and want to know more about it, you are always welcome to give our team a call to ask questions. But first, you can get started by reading some of our responses to a few popular questions we get about the subject below.

What conditions can be treated with osteopathic manipulation?

Our team has used osteopathic manipulation to successfully help patients dealing with conditions like back pain, knee pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, ankle pain, and even headaches. We often highly recommend it for those who have just been in a motor vehicle or sporting accident, as osteopathic manipulation can be applied to several areas of the body at once. We’ll first have you come in for a consultation and exam so we can learn more about your situation and determine whether or not this would be an effective treatment option for you.

Is osteopathic manipulation similar to a massage or chiropractic adjustment?

While osteopathic manipulation, massage, and chiropractic care share a few techniques, they are fundamentally different treatments that have distinct goals. With osteopathic manipulation, the treatment is being applied by a highly trained doctor who wants to help the body fully recover while increasing its strength and mobility. With massage and chiropractic care, the goals are much less defined, and they are typically provided by people with little to no medical training (this includes those who use the title “Dr.”). Plus, neither of these treatments are designed to ever stop, while osteopathic manipulation always ends after the patient has reached their goal.

How many sessions will I need?

The number of osteopathic manipulation sessions a patient requires will be based on the severity of their condition, how their body handles the treatment, and their desired recovery timeline. We’ll discuss all of this at your consultation and after your first session so that you and your doctor are on the same page as to what to expect.

Is osteopathic manipulation covered by insurance?

In many cases, yes, but coverage may only apply if the patient is getting osteopathic manipulation to treat a specific problem (like injuries stemming from an auto accident). Some plans offer out-of-network coverage for it as well that is a little less restricted. Before beginning treatment, we recommend looking over your plan, talking to your provider, or simply contacting our office so we can discuss your coverage with you. That way, you’ll know exactly what kind of payment is expected upfront.

Myofascial Release FAQs

Alt image: white question mark on black background

Want to know more about myofascial release (MFR) so you can get a better idea of whether the treatment is right for you? We’ve gone ahead and answered some of the most common questions we receive about it below. After you’ve read them over, if there is something else you would like to ask, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office.

What types of pain can myofascial release address?

Because the fascia is found all over the body, fascia-related problems can be very widespread—appearing in the neck, back, feet, and anywhere in between. As such, myofascial release can help relieve pain across many areas.

What does the treatment feel like?

Myofascial release uses many of the same techniques as osteopathic manipulation, but instead of treating the muscles, ligaments, or tendons, it’s focused on the thin tissue just below the skin. As such, the motions and types of pressure applied aren’t meant to go as deep compared to other hands-on treatments. It can feel relaxing for some and a little painful for others as the doctor is trying to find and remove trigger points. While the process might be slightly uncomfortable in the moment, afterward, the body should feel looser and more flexible. 

How many sessions will I need?

The number of MFR sessions a patient needs can differ based on the extent of their injury and desired recovery timeline. Some sessions might primarily revolve around the doctor trying to find the injured part of the fascia (as trigger points can be quite small), and then follow-up appointments will focus on treating it. At your first session, your doctor will evaluate you and be able to give you a general idea of how many treatments (and at what frequency) may be most beneficial for you.

How long does a session take?

A typical MFR session takes about an hour, with the first one being a little longer because it will also involve a physical evaluation from your doctor as well as a conversation about your symptoms and goals. Individual sessions might start to get shorter as the issue is resolved, but this largely depends on how the body responds.

Is myofascial release covered by insurance?

Myofascial release is typically not covered by insurance, though we can help patients file claims to see if they can apply benefits. To help people afford it, we’re happy to go over their plans and also offer in-house financing if necessary.

Florida Ostepathic Medical Association logo American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians logo American Osteopathic Association logo American Acadey of Osteopathy logo American College of Sports Medicine logo American Medical Society for Sports Medicine logo American Acadmy of Family Physicians logo The Osteopathic Cranial Academy logo American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians logo