Rahul Rajeev is the Chief Physical Therapist, Founder Director & CEO of Anchor Physiotherapy & Sports Fitness Studio. He specializes in Kinetic Control Movement Therapy (KCMT), musculoskeletal disorders, and Sports Injuries & Performance Rehabilitation. With over 10 years of experience in the field of Physiotherapy, Rahul has established himself as a prominent figure in the industry.
BPT, MPT (Sports), KCMT(UK), M.Sc(ACUI), MD(AM), PGDYT, DGT, CDT,CDP, CMT (Manipal) CSTMT, CDNT(UK), OMTC(UK), DFM(FIFA), KCMT(UK), LSCCP(UK), MAOMPT, CSPRS,
BAT
Rahul's expertise extends beyond traditional Physiotherapy, encompassing Acupuncture, Geriatric Care, Chiropractic techniques, Dry Needling, and more. He has collaborated with numerous reputed institutions and organizations, showcasing his versatility and dedication to providing comprehensive care to his patients
With a holistic approach to treatment and a focus on addressing the root cause of ailments, Rahul Rajeev ensures that patients receive the highest quality of care at Anchor Physiotherapy & Sports Fitness Studio.
Expert in
Manual Therapy and Manipulation & Mobilization
Chiropractor and Osteopathy
Dry needling and Acupuncture
DRON Therapy
Aerobic instructor
Fitness Trainer
Yoga Teacher
Mc Kenzie Practitioner
Structural and Functional Taping
Cupping and alternative medicine
Geriatric Care
He has the experience of 9 years in the field of Physiotherapy. He has worked as Physiotherapist at Centre for rehabilitation care and research Arumana Hospital TVM, Ananthapuri Hospital and Research Institute, Suvarna Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Centre , Nature Care Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Sports Medicine Centre (Jimmy George Indoor Stadium Vellayambalam,) Karunalayam Physiotherapy and rehabilitation center, Epione Spine & Pain care center, a Super speciality Institute for Pain Vazhuthacaud , the Sports Hub TVM, Help age India TVM and Pallium India.
What I do - Specialized in
Physiotherapy
Acupuncture
Geriatric Care
Chiropractor
Dry Needling
Leisure Activities
Painting
Aerobics
Cycling
Rugby
Archery
Fencing
Badminton
Football
Stamp Collecting
Coin Collecting
Photography
Yoga
Fitness
Bachelor of Physiotherapy--BPT (Kerala University), Bethany Navajeevan College of Physiotherapy Thiruvananthapuram
Master of Physiotherapy--MPT (Ortho & Sports) (MG University)
MD in Alternative Medicine of Indian Council of Alternative Medicine
MSc in Acupuncture from Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University
Master Diploma in Acupuncture of BSS (Nat Devt Agency, promoted by GOI)
Post Graduate Diploma in Yoga of Annamalai University
Diploma in Geriatric Care from Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Certificate course in Dry Needling Practitioner
Certified Clinical Sports Dry Needling Therapist of EPLORIS
Multi Disciplinary Principle For Pain Management (Function Integrated Dry Needling Institute UK)
International Certification on Soft Tissue Manual Therapy (CSTMT) from Physio Needs Academy
Certification in Osteopathy and Modified Chiropractics in Pelvis and Spine from Physio Needs Academy
Part A of Medical Diagnosis and Therapy of McKenzie Institute India
Yoga Teachers’ Training from National Centre for Labour and Learning, Government of India
Aerobics Instructor Training from Indian Academy of Fitness Training
Workshop on “Manual Therapy and Taping Techniques for Shoulder complex dysfunctions” by Manual Therapy Foundation of India
Yoga alliance International Santhi Yoga Teacher Training Institute (Qualified as Yoga Teacher)
Children’s Yoga Teacher Training Course
DORN Therapy International School of THAI Yoga and Body Works
Certified advanced Manual Therapy (Manipal)
Mass Athlete Awareness Programme on Anti – Doping ( National Anti Doping Agency)
Fitness Trainer ( Sports, Physical Education Fitness and leisure Skills Council , Minister of Skill Development GOI
Certification in Mindfulness Practice (Virtued Academy International)
Certification in Neuroplasticity Practice ( Virtued Academy International)
Certification in Solution – Focused Therapy ( Virtued Academy International)
Certification in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy ( Virtued Academy International)
Certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy ( Virtued Academy International)
Certification in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ( Virtued Academy International)
Certification in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Virtued Academy International)
Certification in Neuro , Linguistic Programming ( Virtued Academy International)
First position ‘Foil Senior Men’ at XVI Kerala Fencing Championship 2009 at Wayanad Kerala
Third Position ‘Foil Men’ at All Inter University Fencing Championship 2009 at Kannur University, Kerala
First position Kerala Team—Cycle Polo sub junior boys at Cycle Polo National Championship 2006 at Rajasthan Gujarat
Participated as part of Kerala Team Cycle Polo Senior Men at XIII Cycle Polo National Championship 2007-08 at Rajasthan
First position Trivandrum team at IVth Rugby Tournament of Kerala State Rugby Association in 2008
Best PG student award by KAPS
Award presented by Hon Health Minister for outstanding performance—Kerala Rugby Team in National Games 2015
Physiotherapy Excellence award in 2020, from JCI ( Junior Chamber International)
Received Momentum for invaluable efforts in the field of Physiotherapy from His Highness Sree Padmanabha Dasa Avittom Thirunal Prince Adithya Varma(Travancore Royal Family Kowdiar Palace )
Outstanding Performer Award from Kovalam Football Club awarded by Dr Shashi Tharoor (MP)
Outstanding Performer Award from Travancore Royal Football Club awarded by Ramesh Chennithala (Leader of Opposition)
Outstanding Participation in ‘Souharda’ 2016 awarded by Dr MI Sahadulla (Chairman & MD of KIMSHEALTH TVM)
Award from Director Board Members of KIMS HEALTH TVM for Physio duty in United Games held at Dubai
Appreciation from Sports Physio at United Games 2019 Dubai , to represent the Indian contingent as their Sports Physio
Appreciation from BSNL, Circle office TVM for conducting Seminar and session on ‘Back Pain and related Complications’ conducted by TCOR
Appreciation from Padmashree Prof Dr G Vijayaraghavan Sir from KIMS HEALTH TVM
Appreciation from Dr MI Sahadulla Chairman & MD KIMS Health TVM for Physio activities at KIMS Sports Meet
Received award from Rev Dr Philip Neri , OIC in recognition to the art of Oil Painting of the Archbishop Mar Ivanios in the presence of Dr MKC Nair (Vice Chancellor of KUHS) , Dr Biju Prabakar IAS, Rev Fr Christy John OIC , Dr Subash Chandra Bose Principal of Bethany Navajeevan College of Physiotherapy.
Prize winner of Employee Aesthetic Talent (Exhibition at KIMS HEALTH TVM)
Token of appreciation from Er Yohan TK for the commitment in Physiotherapy Profession.
KIMS HEALTH Hospital Trivandrum: Senior Consultant for over 7 years.
SUT Hospital, Trivandrum
Centre for Rehabilitation Care and Research
The New Royal Hospital
Arumana Hospital
Ananthapuri Hospital and Research Institute
Trivandrum institute for mentally challangedl
Suvarna Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Centre
Nature Care Hospital
Rajiv Gandhi Sports Medicine Centre (Jimmy George Indoor Stadium)
Karunalayam Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Centre and
Epione Spine & Pain Care Centre
Super Speciality Institute for Pain Vazhuthacaud
The Sports Hub Thiruvananthapuram
*Help Age India
Pallium India
Kerala University Fencing Team (2012-13) at Inter University Fencing Championship, Patiala,
Kerala State Rugby Association for 35th National Games, Kerala
Kerala Police Team at All India Police Athletic Championships 2015, Trivandrum
XI SAFF Championship 2015
District Sports Council at State Civil Service Tournament 2015-16, Trivandrum
Kerala State Sports Council at College Games 2015
Kerala Fencing Association at 17th Sub Junior and 12th Cadet Kerala State Fencing Championship 2015
Thiruvananthapuram District Football Association at 11th SBT GV Raja All India Football Tournament 2015 and All India State Bank of India Football Tournament 2015
Rugby Football Association at State Rugby Championship 2015
Kovalam Football Foundation Under 15 I-League All India Championship at Bangalore organized by the All India Football Federation, New Delhi.2016
2nd Kerala State Senior Rugby Football Championship 2016-17
All India Civil Service Swimming Championship 2015-16
Khelo India Youth Games 2019 in Pune
Indian Team of United International Games 2019 in UAE
Sri Ramesh Chennithala Leader of Opposition Kerala Government/ Sri C Divakaran MLA/ Head of Environment Health & Safety Tata Consultancy Services/ Dr Rishikesh Senior Scientist WHO HQ (Retd) Geneva/ Dr Molly Antony Scientist G Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences/ Sri Santhosh Vivarthana Coaching Trivandrum/ Ms Rati Saxena International writer and Vedic scholar/ Ms Uma Devi Deputy Secretary to Govt of Kerala/ Sri Jogesh IPS Vigilance and Security Officer KTDC/
Mass Athlete Awareness Programme on Anti-doping of National Anti-Doping Agency, GOI
Kerala University Fencing Team (2012-2013) at Inter University Fencing Championship, Patiala.
Kerala State Rugby association for 35th National Games (Kerala Rugby team Physio)
Kerala Police Team at All India Police Athletic Championship 2015 TVM
XI SAFF Championship 2015
District Sports Council of State Civil Service Tournament 2015-2016 TVM
Kerala State Sports Council at College Games 2015 (Handball Team )
Kerala Fencing Association at 17th Sub junior and 12th Cadet Kerala State Fencing Championship 2015
Trivandrum District Football Association of 11th SBT GV Raja All India Tournament 2015 and All India State Bank of India Football Tournament 2015
Rugby Football Association at State Rugby Championship 2015
Kovalam Football Foundation under 15 I - League All India Championship at Bangalore organized by the All India Football Federation , New Delhi 2016
All India Civil Service Swimming Championship 2015-2016
2nd Kerala State Senior Rugby Football Championship 2016-2017
Khelo India Youth Games 2019 in Pune (Kerala Football Team)
6th United International Games 2019 ,Dubai UAE (Indian Team Physio)
May day sports meet held by District Sports Council TVM
All India Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament 2019 held under Kerala Badminton (Shuttle) Association at YIBA Sports Hub Academy TVM
Grandeur Inter District & Inter Collegiate 2019 Physio Sports Meet (Kerala Association For Physiotherapists Coordination (KAPC))
High Altitude Golden Peak Half Marathon held at Ponmudi TVM 2018,2020
Musculoskeletal Disorder Checkup Camp in Tata Consultancy Services , Trivandrum as part of Ergonomics Campaign
Clinical Training at General Hospital Trivandrum on Part of MPT Course
SUT Hospital Pattom Trivandrum
New Royal Hospital Ulloor Trivandrum
State Institute of Mentally Challenged Pangappara
SUT Academy of Medical Science Vattappara
PRS Hospital Karamana
Sree Rama Krishna Mission Hospital Sasthamangalam
The Indian Association of Physiotherapists (L-45528]
All Indian Association of Physiotherapists (11806A)
Kerala Association for Physiotherapists’ Coordination (2534)
Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physiotherapists (Expert Professional) (AOMPM/148E-L)
Travancore Royal Football Club (Owner)
Travancore GmKhana
Philatelic & Numismatic Association
Indus Cycling Embassy
Ananthapuri Philatelic Association
Photographers Forum
Life maximization Cafe
LIONS Club
BNI - Magicians
Gait and Posture Correction
A basic analysis of a patient's gait and posture provides information about the body and the capability of the musculoskeletal system to adjust to physical stressors. An understanding of normal gait and posture is essential for identifying and treating musculoskeletal pain.
Gait analysis is comparable to an X-ray or blood test;it is a powerful investigative tool, which together with the patient history and physical examination, may be used to assess and diagnose patients suffering musculoskeletal pain, and predict successful treatment of these pathologies
There is no one correct manner for assessing gait. It is important however, to develop a systematic approach.There is a ‘head to toe’ approach for observing anatomical and functional features in all three planes:
● head position
● shoulders
● arm swing
● spine
● pelvic tilt
● hip range of motion
● knee
● tibial shank
● ankle motion
● heel position (heel strike and heel off)
● rear foot position relative to the ground
● navicular tuberosity
● lateral midfoot
● metatarsals
● first metatarsophalangeal joint range of motion
● digits
● overall foot and leg position
● muscle activity. Abnormal gait
Musculoskeletal disorders comprise an important public health problem due to high impact on disability, sickness absence and work disability, and health care costs. When assessing gait, it is important to understand that a problem affecting one body part can lead to problems elsewhere. A deformity in one part will be compensated in another. The correction of any biomechanical abnormalities that are affecting your gait can improve your muscle strength, flexibility and overall mobility. To complement the analysis and treatment of your gait pattern we work closely with podiatrists and orthotists to provide complete care and support. This could take the form of simple insoles to custom moulded splints depending on the severity of the condition. Techniques includes:
Stretching exercises Strengthening exercises Muscle imbalance correction Gait pattern correction exercises Activity modification and adapting training techniques.
Poor posture can cause a variety of problems, like back pain and tension headaches, because of straining and tightness that comes from putting stress on incorrect muscles and joints. It can also contribute to arthritis because of abnormal wear on joint surfaces.
Physiotherapy can help with posture correction to prevent these problems, improve your appearance, and give you more comfort in everyday life through the following ways.
Manual therapy and massage
Education and training
Exercise and stretch recommendations
Joint mobilization and muscle stimulation
Increasing range of motion
Corrective exercises to improve strength and flexibility
Physiotherapists know how tissues and joint structures work together, and so can recommend stretches and exercises to ensure there is not undue stress on these parts of the body. Having good posture is all about muscle strength and correct alignment. Physiotherapists are dedicated to ensuring your body is working as smoothly as possible to eliminate pain and prevent conditions from developing. Ergonomics
Ergonomics is a scientific discipline that has been around for many years. Traditionally concerned with factory workers and keeping their work environments safe and efficient, ergonomic professionals have expanded their work to include all types of workers from laborers to office workers, students to seniors. Ergonomics is concerned with how our environment interacts with our work. It also looks for ways to adjust our environment to decrease the risks of injury and illness, enhance productivity, and improve the quality of our work life. Two main concentrations are Industrial Ergonomics and Human factors ergonomics Industrial ergonomics - sometimes called occupational biomechanics - is concerned with the physical aspects of work such as force, posture, and repetitive movements. Human factors ergonomics looks as the psychological aspects of work such as mental well-being and decision-making. Goals of ergonomics Reduce work-related injury and illness Help contain workers' compensation costs for employers Improve productivity in the workplace Improve the quality of work Reduce absenteeism Help employers comply with government regulations regarding work environments Benefits of Ergonomics We are in search of ways to improve the relationship between our "tools" and our jobs. One way to do that is to look at the risk factors in the workplace. These can be divided into 3 areas: physical characteristics, environmental characteristics, and workplace hazards. 1. Physical characteristics of work:
Posture
Force
Repetition Duration
Recovery time
Velocity/acceleration
Heavy dynamic exertion 2. Segmental vibration Environmental characteristics of work:
Heat
Cold
Lighting
Noise Whole body vibration 3. Workplace hazards: Physical stress Mental stress Workload Hours (shifts, overtime) Slips and falls Fire Exposure hazards (electrical, chemical, biological, radiation) Benefits in workplace
Enhanced work efficiency Boost workers’ morale and employment satisfaction Remove/reduce feelings of resentment towards your business Promote an improved safety culture and safe work practices Reduce absenteeism Reduce staff turnover Reduce recruitment and retraining costs Minimize loss of expertise/skill base Mitigate losses related to lost time due to injuries, redeployment or permanent disability of your workers
Exercise Therapy
Exercise therapy is defined as a regimen or plan of physical activities designed and prescribed to facilitate the patients to recover from diseases and any conditions, which disturb their movement and activity of daily life or maintain a state of well-being Physiotherapy for Safe Exercise Programme
Physiotherapists are experts in advising you when it is safe to exercise, when and how much you can increase weight and loads to your joints and muscles/soft tissues.After a thorough assessment, physiotherapist will design a programme specific to your current situation, the stage of your injury as well as your needs and goals. Improvement is only possible with repetition and adherence to the programme.During your rehabilitation, Exercise Prescription is usually combined with “Hands On” manual therapy or other treatment modalities to ensure best outcome. Exercise Therapy is used for
● Post surgery rehabilitation
● Sports injuries rehabilitation
● Post-natal
● Back and neck problems
● Pelvic floor therapy & continence
● Sport specific performance
● Children’s motor development
● General fitness and well-being Exercise Therapy helps to improve ● Awareness and muscle activation
● Mobility and stretching
● Stability, core strengthening, Pilates
● Control, strength training and endurance
● Balance, proprioception and coordination
● Functional movement and sport specific conditioning
● Cardio-vascular fitness Myofascial Release
Myofascial release massage is a soft tissue treatment of skeletal muscle pain and immobility. Myofascial release involves applying gentle pressure into connective tissue and fascia. Fascia is a structure of connective tissues that surround muscles, blood vessels and nerves. In healthy conditions fascia tissue is relaxed and wavy in configuration. The fascial system can provide cushioning support so that movement is increased and without pain. A myofascial release technique helps to detect restrictions and can facilitate the release of fascia. Injury, surgery, poor posture or inflammation of tissues can create myofascial restrictions that produce pressure and pain upon sensitive structures.
It is used to treat acute pain,post injury, post surgery, Produce relaxation. How does it work?
Your therapist will gently massage the myofascia and feel for stiff or tightened areas. Normal myofascia should feel pliable and elastic. The therapist will begin massaging and stretching the areas that feel rigid with light manual pressure. The therapist then aids the tissue and supportive sheath in releasing pressure and tightness. The process is repeated multiple times on the same trigger point and on other trigger points until the therapist feels the tension is fully released.
These areas where the massage therapist is working may not be near where the pain originates or where you feel the pain most prominently. Myofascial release works the broader network of muscles that might be causing your pain. It tries to reduce tension throughout your body by releasing trigger points across a broad section of your muscular system. Types of Myofascial Release Massage Therapy
Myofascial release massage therapy can be broken down into two categories:
Direct release is also known as “deep tissue myofascial release therapy” which involves the practitioners using force or weight to release the fascial with the aim at improving extensibility and mobility.
Indirect release is a gentler method where the practitioner applies less pressure, encouraging the fascia to slowly ‘unwind’ itself until greater movement is achieved. Benefits of Myofascial Release Massage
Reduce pain
Release knots/trigger points
Improve movement and flexibility
Improve muscle function
Enhance circulation by breaking up the tight areas where blood flow may become restricted
Reduce exercise-related soreness Risks
However, massage isn’t ideal for people:
with burns, injuries, or painful wounds
with fractures or broken bones
with fragile or weak bones
with deep vein thrombosis or deep vein issues
taking blood-thinning medications
In very rare cases, massage therapy may cause:
internal bleeding
temporary paralysis or difficulty moving your muscles
allergic reaction to oils, gels, or lotions
nerve damage
Electrotherapy
Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy as a medical treatment. In medicine, the term electrotherapy can apply to a variety of treatments, including the use of electrical devices such as deep brain stimulators for neurological disease How does Electrotherapy worksElectrotherapy works Electrotherapy uses electrical signals to interfere with the transmission of neural pain signals into the brain. It effectively slows down or distracts the message from the nerve to the brain. In this technique, a small electrical device delivers electrical impulses across the skin. The device is connected by wires to sticky pad or carbon electrodes, which are placed on the skin in the area of the pain. This allows a small, low-intensity electric charge to be passed across the area. Electrotherapy can also involve the use of electric current to speed tissue healing where tissue damage has occurred. The treatment via electrotherapy is safe, effective and non-surgical.
The use of electrotherapy is an accepted practice in Physical Therapy. Electrotherapy is an umbrella that covers a number of therapies using electric current that reduce pain and improve muscle tension. Johari Digital tends to deliver effective treatments in pain relief. The devices help in local blood flow that is used to help reduce swelling, chronic inflammation and promote bone fracture healing. Most of the devices are designed for use in multi-speciality hospitals, pain clinics, orthopaedics and sports clinics for treating all types of pain including musculoskeletal, spinal and neuropathic pain disorders. Types of Electrotherapy
Electrotherapy is very useful in conditions where medications are not effective. It can vary as per the patient’s condition and needs. The common forms of electrotherapy that the physiotherapists use are as follows:
TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation): In TENS electrotherapy, a small electrical device is used to deliver electrical impulses through the skin. Common conditions that can be treated through this are lower back pain, labour pain, and arthritis. Interferential Therapy: Also known as IFT, this is a deeper form of TENS electrotherapy and uses two high frequency currents. It is effective in pain relief, muscle stimulation, and blood circulation. Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS): In this type of electrotherapy, the physiotherapist focuses on the muscle tissues instead of nerves. EMS is a specialized form where your motor neurons are stimulated to contract the muscles. This therapy is used to treat muscle atrophy. Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PENS): PENS involves the application of electrical stimulation through small needles that penetrate the skin. It can also be used at home and is more beneficial than TENS. Therapeutic Ultrasound: This form of electrotherapy in physiotherapy uses a transducer instead of electrode pads. The benefits of therapeutic ultrasound include the healing of muscles and ligaments and the healing process. Benefits of Electrotherapy
Reduces body pain
Alleviates nerve pain
Accelerates healing of musculoskeletal injuries
Increases blood circulation in the body
Heals wounds
Relaxes muscle spasms TENS
A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit is a battery-operated device that some people use to treat pain.
TENS units work by delivering small electrical impulses through electrodes that have adhesive pads to attach them to a person’s skin.
These electrical impulses flood the nervous system, reducing its ability to transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and brain.
The same electrical impulses also stimulate the body to produce natural pain relievers called endorphins. Different types of techniques used : Conventional TENS (low-intensity, high-frequency)
A strong but painless sensation of impact and minimal muscular activity. Location of the electrodes are on the skin, in the pain spot. It stimulates big-diameter nerve fibers, Aβ, for local pain relief. Pain relief is normally quick both in and after the therapy sessions Acupuncture-like TENS (high-intensity, low-frequency)
High amplitude and low frequency (1-5 Hz transmissions).A strong and painless sensation of strained muscles. Top of the muscle in a sore muscle area to activate the motor nerve.It stimulates the narrow-diameter skin nerve fibers as well as the Aδ motor fibers for pain relief in the segmental space around the area of pain. For a limited use of 20 to 30 minutes at a time.A response delay may occur. Intense TENS (high-intensity, high-frequency)
High amplitude,Painful sensation of electrical impact in this area. On the skin area proximal to the spot of pain. It stimulate narrow-diameter Aδ skin nerve fibers and create a counter stimulus (it will ease the existing stimulus)For a short-term use of 5 to 15 minutes at a time.A fast response within the therapy range and a delayed response after it. How does it work?
A patient undergoing TENS needs no preparation before the procedure. It can be done at an outpatient facility or at home by the patients themselves.
The TENS unit is a small battery-operated device that delivers low voltage electric pulses. It has electrodes with sticky pads, which are placed on the patient’s skin over the affected area. The stimulation settings can be adjusted to give effective pain relief without discomfort.
Uses of TENS
period pain
labor pain
postoperative pain
joint pain
neck and back pain
They may also alleviate pain that results from the following conditions:
endometriosis
arthritis
sports injuries
multiple sclerosis
fibromyalgia
painful diabetic neuropathy
spinal cord injury When to avoid TENS
Pregnant women:
Pregnant women should avoid using TENS in the abdominal and pelvic regions.
People with epilepsy:
Applying electrodes to the head or neck of people with epilepsy may induce seizures.
People with heart problems:
People with a pacemaker or another type of electrical or metal implant.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the practice of penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles which are then activated through gentle and specific movements of the practitioner's hands or with electrical stimulation.
Acupuncture is part of the ancient practice of Traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe the human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points connected by pathways or meridians. These pathways create an energy flow (Qi, pronounced "chee") through the body that is responsible for overall health. Disruption of the energy flow can cause disease. By applying acupuncture to certain points, it is thought to improve the flow of Qi, thereby improving health.
Acupuncture is not for everyone. If you choose to see an acupuncturist, discuss it with your doctor first and find a practitioner who is licensed as having proper training and credentials. How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system. This, in turn, releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.
Inserting needles into these points with appropriate combinations is said to bring the energy flow back into proper balance.
There is no scientific proof that the meridians or acupuncture points exist, and it is hard to prove that they either do or do not, but numerous studies suggest that acupuncture works for some conditions.
Some experts have used neuroscience to explain acupuncture. Acupuncture points are seen as places where nerves, muscles, and connective tissue can be stimulated. The stimulation increases blood flow, while at the same time triggering the activity of the body’s natural painkillers.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies to treat the following:
Nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy
Dental pain after surgery
Addiction
Headaches
Migraine
Menstrual cramps
Tennis elbow
Fibromyalgia
Myofascial pain
Osteoarthritis
Low back pain
Knee pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Asthma
It may also help with stroke rehabilitation. Uses of Acupuncture
Research carried out in Germany has shown that acupuncture may help relieve tension headaches and migraines.
The NCCIH note that it has been proven to help Trusted Source in cases of:
low back pain
neck pain
osteoarthritis/ knee pain
headache
They list additional disorders that may benefit from acupuncture, but which require further headache
scientific confirmation.
In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed a number of conditions in which they say acupuncture has been proven effective.
These include:
high and low blood pressure
chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
some gastric conditions, including peptic ulcer
painful periods
dysentery
allergic rhinitis
facial pain
morning sickness
rheumatoid arthritis
sprains
tennis elbow
sciatica
dental pain
reducing the risk of stroke
inducing labor What to expect?
According to traditional Chinese medical theory, acupuncture points are located on meridians, through which vital energy runs. This energy is known as “qi” or “chi.”
An acupuncturist will examine the patient and assess their condition, insert one or more thin, sterile needles, and offer advice on self-care or other complementary therapies, such as Chinese herbs.
The patient will be asked to lie down on their back, front, or one side, depending on where the needles are to be inserted. The acupuncturist should use single-use, disposable, sterile needles. As each needle is inserted, the patient may feel a very brief stinging or tingling sensation.
After the needle is inserted, there is occasionally a dull ache at the base of the needle that then subsides. Acupuncture is usually relatively painless.
Sometimes the needles are heated or Stimulated Trusted Source with electricity after insertion. The needles will stay in place for between 5 and 30 minutes.
The number of treatments needed depend on the individual. A person with a chronic condition may need one to two treatments a week over several months. An acute problem normally improves after 8 to 12 sessions. Benefits
Performed correctly, it is safe.
There are very few side effects.
It can be effectively combined with other treatments.
It can control some types of pain.
It may help patients for whom pain medications are not suitable.
The NCCIH advice people not to use acupuncture instead of seeing a conventional health care provider. The possible risks of acupuncture are:
It is dangerous if a patient has a bleeding disorder or takes blood thinners.
Bleeding, bruising, and soreness may occur at the insertion sites.
Unsterilized needles may infect the patient.
In rare cases, a needle may break and damage an internal organ.
When inserted deeply into the chest or upper back, there is a risk of collapsed lung, but this is very rare.
Acupressure
Acupressure is often called acupuncture without the needles. Instead of needles, acupressure involves the application of manual pressure (usually with the fingertips) to specific points on the body.
According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, invisible pathways of energy called meridians flow within the body. At least 14 meridians are thought to connect our organs with other parts of the body. Acupuncture and acupressure points lie along those meridians.
If the flow of energy (also called "chi" or "qi") is blocked at any point on a meridian, it's thought to cause various symptoms and health conditions anywhere along the meridian.That's why a practitioner may apply pressure to an acupressure point on the foot to relieve a headache. Uses
Most people try acupressure for the first time to manage symptoms of a condition, such as:
Cancer-related fatigue and other forms of fatigue
Insomnia
Headache
Menstrual cramps
Motion sickness
Muscle tension and pain3
Nausea or vomiting after surgery or chemotherapy
Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and morning sickness
Stress management How does it work?
Acupressure can also be self-administered. While it's best to consult an acupuncturist for proper instruction, acupressure is generally done by using the thumb, finger, or knuckle to apply gentle but firm pressure to a point. You can also use the tip of a pen.
The pressure is often increased for about 30 seconds, held steadily for 30 seconds to two minutes, and then gradually decreased for 30 seconds. It's typically repeated three to five times. For example, to find the point "primarily used to treat nausea and vomiting—turn your arm palm up.
Place the thumb at the center of the wrist crease (where the hand meets the wrist), then move it two finger-widths toward the elbow. The point is between two large tendons. Side effects
Acupressure should never be painful. If you experience any pain, tell your therapist immediately. After an acupressure session, some people may feel soreness or bruising at acupressure points. You may also feel temporarily lightheaded.
Pressure should be gentle over fragile or sensitive areas, such as the face. If you're pregnant, talk to your care provider before trying acupressure. Acupressure typically isn't done on the abdomen or certain points on the leg or low back during pregnancy.
Acupressure shouldn't be done over open wounds, bruises, varicose veins, or any area that is bruised or swollen.
Talk to your doctor before trying acupressure if you have :
Osteoporosis
Recent fracture or injury
Cancer
Easy bruising
A bleeding disorder
Heart disease
Uncontrolled blood pressure
Diabetes
Prescription anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications, such as Coumadin (warfarin)
Cupping therapy
Cupping Therapy is a practice that involves briefly applying rounded inverted cups to certain parts of the body using a vacuum effect. This suction will help to draw the skin inside the cups and increase blood flow to the area. It will also help to correct any imbalances arising from illness or injury and promote flow of energy.
During wet cupping the skin is punctured prior to treatment. This helps the blood to flow out from the punctures during cupping, it will also help to clear toxins from the body.
Modern cupping is often performed using glass cups that are rounded like balls and open on one end Mainly two categories of cupping
Dry cupping is a suction-only method. Wet cupping may involve both suction and controlled medicinal bleeding Uses of Cupping Therapy
Back pain
Headache or migraine
Knee pain
Acne
Fascial Paralysis
Muscle pain and soreness
Neck and shoulder pain
Herpez Zoster
Cervical Spondylosis
Sports injuries and performance
Bronchial congestion due to the cold or asthma Side effects
Mild discomfort
Burns
Bruises
Skin infection
Lasting skin discolouration
Not applicable for the persons with Eczema and Psoriasis skin problems
Dry Needling
Dry needling is a treatment that involves the insertion of a very thin needle into trigger points or tight muscles of your body. The main purpose is to improve tissue healing and restore muscle function. It is used to treat myofascial pain (Myo means Muscle and Fascia means Tissue that connects muscles).
A trigger point is a local contracture or tight band in a muscle fiber that can disrupt function, restrict range of motion, refer to pain or cause local tenderness. When dry needling is applied to a dysfunctional muscle or trigger point, it can decrease banding or tightness, increase blood flow, and reduce local and referred pain.
It’s important to note dry needling is not the same as acupuncture. It uses similar tools, but that’s where the similarities end. Dry needling is performed by different practitioners with different training. Acupuncture is based on Eastern medicine, while dry needling is rooted in Western medicine and evaluation of pain patterns, posture, movement impairments, function and orthopedic tests.
A patient may experience different sensations when being needled, muscle soreness, aching and a muscle twitch when a needle is inserted is considered to be a good sign. The needles may be placed deeply or superficially, for shorter or longer periods of time, depending on what type of pain is being treated and how long it has lasted. Shorter periods of time would mean that the needle would stay in the muscle for seconds, while longer periods could mean 10 to 15 minutes. Techniques used in Dry Needling
Superficial dry needling: The needle is inserted into the skin above a trigger point just 5 millimeters (mm) to 10 mm deep for 30 seconds. Insertion may be repeated a few minutes later.
Pistoning technique (a.k.a. sparrow pecking, in-and-out technique): This method involves a quick insertion and removal of needles into trigger points. The needle pricks the trigger point but is not left inserted for any duration.
Non-trigger point dry needling: Instead of inserting needles directly into trigger points, this technique places needles in the muscle tissue surrounding the knot. Treatment Conditions
Sports Injuries
Low back pain/tension
Neck pain
Tennis elbow
Migraines
Spinal dysfunction
Joint dysfunction
Pelvic Pains
Night Cramps
Phantom Pain
Sciatica
Disc Problem
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Contraindications Dry needling should not be used in the patients which have following conditions: Acute inflammation
Infected sites
Varicose veins
Cysts
Tumors
Skin lesions
Abnormal Bleeding Tendency
Compromised Immune System
Vascular Disease
Diabetes
Pregnancy
Children
Patients with Epilepsy
Psychological status. Side effects
Soreness during or after the treatment
Bleeding at the place where the needle was pushed in
Fainting
Fatigue
Bruising
A very rare side effect from improper needle insertion could be major organ puncture, such as a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) caused by puncturing the lung through needle insertion in the chest. Neurological Dry Needling Neurological dry needling is a technique used for the treatment of pain and movement impairments. The technique uses a “dry”needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle.
Neurological dry needling is not acupuncture, however it does use homeostatic points in the body in addition to trigger points to create systemic effects. Essentially, we can decrease pain and increase function without pain the majority of the time. How does it work?
Dry needling involves a thin filiform needle that penetrates the skin and stimulates underlying myofascial trigger points and muscular and connective tissues. The needle allows the chiropractor to target tissues that are not manually palpable. The majority of the time the treatment is painless, however patients may experience muscle twitching or a dull ache while the needles are being manipulated. In order to get better results, the chiropractor will rotate the needles around to get a better muscle activation. Uses
Sinus pressure
Trigeminal neuralgia
Headaches & migraines
Neck Pain/Stiff Neck
Back Pain/Stiff Back
Shoulder & Elbow Pain
Sciatica
Strained Hamstrings/Tight Hamstrings
Knee and Ankle Pain
Sports Dry Needling
Dry needling can be administered throughout most of the body, including the head and shoulders, and can target muscle and ligament strains and pulls including those developed in active sports (such as football, basketball, soccer and wrestling) and injuries from repetitive sports (such as golf, tennis or bowling).
Dry needling does not involve medication and complements other physical therapy treatments. Sessions are short - 20 or 30 minutes - and minimally invasive.
Athletes know there’s nothing more frustrating than being sidelined by injury. Yet injuries are a reality of playing sports. For athletes dealing with muscle injuries or pain, Myofascial Trigger Point Dry Needling can offer relief.Once a trigger point has been identified and the dry needle inserted, the therapist will manipulate the needle until a “twitch” muscle response occurs. This stimulation of the trigger points is an effective treatment for pain and can jumpstart an athlete's recovery process.Dry needling is an effective treatment for pain and can offer faster recovery.
Sujok Therapy
In Sujok therapy, the palm and foot represent all the organs/meridians in the body. Su means hand while jok means palm. Sujok can be done with other therapies also and it produces no side effects. Developed by Professor Park Jae Woo, this therapy is 100% safe, simple and easy to perform even by the patients. Since hands and feet are the locations of systems of active points corresponding to all organs and part of the body, stimulation of these points produces a curative effect. This method is universal. With the help of sujok, various kinds of illnesses can be treated. There is no need for any precautions to be taken during the treatment. Since the therapy is natural and cures only the natural forces in and around the body, it is also one of the safest therapies ever known. Benefits of Sujok therapy Helps treat mental disorder
Sujok therapy works wonders in healing various kinds of mental disorders like phobia, depression anxiety, addiction etc. It helps by enhancing physical and mental health and restoring all over balance. Heals injuries
Sujok therapy greatly benefits all types of injuries related to neck, feet, hands, joints etc. It also treats inflammation and other problems like arthritic pain, carpel tunnel syndrome and gout along with other skin and reproductive problems. Diabetes
Sujok therapy is a variation of acupressure, which uses specific points on hands and feet to treat the ailments. It also makes use of seeds, semi precious stones along with pressure stimulation that help relieve problems like diabetes and kidney stones. Weight loss
Sujok therapy has a great potential in controlling obesity. The therapy increases blood circulation and reduces the extra lipids. Thus, helps in managing your weight easily. In today’s stressful life, how does sujok help to bring mental peace?
Today, stress has become a part of our lifestyle. Right from a child to an older citizen, it affects everyone which in the longer run causes severe illness. While most of us depend on pills, a simple touch
On the tip of your thumb with the index finger of any hand helps to give miraculous results. For a lasting effect, one should repeat this action to get ultimate relief. Tai chi also helps to reduce stress and anxiety. And it also helps increase flexibility and balance. How does sujok help to heal curative, mental and emotional disorder?
Through Sujok, one can diagnose the problem easily. By pressing the key points and applying pressure in the right direction, one can cure the problem. Sujok helps to heal certain physical problems such as BP , headache , bronchitis ,asthma, gastric acidity, ulcer, constipation, migraine, vertigo, irritable bowel syndrome, gastro esophageal reflux disease, disc prolapse, complications due to chemotherapy ,menopause, excessive bleeding and many more. Likewise, to cure depression, anger, fear and worries, sujok is an ultimate therapy for the soul and body that provides natural treatment to the patients, who otherwise, depend on pills to cure such diseases. Reflexology
Reflexology is a type of therapy that uses gentle pressure on specific points along your feet (and possibly on your hands or ears as well) to help you feel better. The theory is that this eases stress, and that helps your body work better. It’s also known as zone therapy.
The way reflexology connects spots on the outside of your body to the inside is a bit like acupuncture and acupressure. But those therapies use points all over your body, not just on your feet, hands, and ears. And while reflexologists do use their hands, it isn’t a form of massage.
Like those other therapies, though, reflexology is complementary to medical treatments. It can be done alongside traditional care, but it’s not an alternative to it, and reflexologists don’t diagnose or treat illnesses Benefits
● Anxiety among people who've had heart surgery
● Pain during labor
● Arthritis pain
● Some symptoms of multiple sclerosis, like fatigue and uncomfortable skin sensations
● Emotional and physical pain caused by cancer
● Improve sinus issues
● Relieve back pain
● Ease constipation How it works
A typical treatment is 30 to 60 minutes long and begins with a health history form and consultation about your health and lifestyle. The reflexologist will use the information to customize the therapy.
You may then be asked to remove your shoes and socks and sit comfortably in a reclining chair or on a massage table. The reflexologist will assess the feet and stimulate various points to identify areas of tenderness or tension.
Brisk movements and massage may be used to warm the hands and feet. Finger or thumb pressure is then applied to the foot using reflexology techniques. Lotion or oil may be used, and the reflexologist may also use instruments like balls, brushes, and dowels.
Most people find reflexology, for the most part, to be very relaxing. Reflexology shouldn't be painful. If you feel discomfort, be sure to tell the reflexologist. They should work within your comfort zone.
Some areas may be tender or sore, and the reflexologist may spend extra time on these points. The soreness should decrease with pressure. If you're ticklish, not to worry. The reflexologist applies firm pressure to the feet.
Most people feel calm and relaxed after a reflexology session. Occasionally, some people feel nausea, sleepiness, and mood swings. Contraindications and Side effects
Reflexology may also not be right for people with diabetes, osteoarthritis (affecting the ankle or foot), circulatory problems, active infections, gallstones, kidney stones, or certain types of cancer. You should also avoid reflexology if you are pregnant.
Some people also report having mild side effects after reflexology treatment, including:
● lightheadedness
● tender feet
● emotional sensitivity
But these are short-term side effects that tend to go away shortly after treatment.
Auricular Therapy
Auricular therapy is a healthcare modality in which the external surface of the ear, or auricle, is stimulated to alleviate pathological conditions in other parts of the body. A channel of energy flow circles the body like meridians circle the globe. The goal of auricular therapy is to balance that energy flow, which runs the body and heals the body. Used for
Auricular acupuncture can be used for a wide range of indications, and it is especially useful to relieve pain, calm the mind, treat allergies and infectious diseases, regulate endocrine system disorders, and treat chronic disease and functional disorders.It is also used for withdrawal syndrome.
1.Various painful diseases: Auricular therapy has a strong function to stop pain; often the pain will be relieved once the needle is inserted. It can be used to treat pain such as the following:
● Pain from trauma: Sprained tendons, broken bones, cuts, burns, and dislocations.
● Pain from infections: Tonsillitis, appendicitis, cholelithiasis, and mastitis.
● Pain from nerve disorders: Trigeminal neuralgia, migraine, sciatic nerve pain, and herpes zoster.
● Pain after surgery: Including pain from incisions and scar tissue.
● Pain from tumors: Headache and abdominal pain due to tumor pressure.
2.Infectious diseases: Diseases such as pharyngitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, ear infection, enteritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, bladder infection, Bell's palsy, rheumatoid arthritis, cholelithiasis, enteritis, and pustulation. In this case auricular acupuncture has the function to reduce swelling and pain.
3.Functional disorders: Disorders such as irregular heartbeat, neurasthenia, hysteria, irregular menstruation, sexual dysfunction, and irritable bowel syndrome. The treatment will have the effect of regulating the body's functioning.
4.Allergic diseases: Diseases such as asthma, allergies, allergic sinusitis, purpura, colitis, and rheumatoid fever. The treatment will have an antiinflammatory effect, and will stimulate the immune system to reduce allergic response.
5.Endocrine system disorders: Diseases such as hyperthyroidism, obesity, menopausal symptoms, infertility, menstrual disorders, and diabetes.
6.Epidemic diseases: Diseases such as dysentery, influenza, whooping cough, fever, and lung tuberculosis. 7.Chronic diseases: Diseases such as low back pain, leg pain, frozen shoulder, indigestion, and numbness of the extremities. Ear acupuncture can improve these conditions and relieve pain.
8.Wellness care: Ear acupuncture can be used to prevent disease, for anesthesia, to shorten labor and reduce pain, for insufficient lactation, smoking cessation, substance abuse detoxification, motion sickness, and weight management. How does it work? While it’s possible to place ear seeds yourself, it’s usually best to see a trained acupuncturist for your first time.
They can go over the symptoms you’d like to address and help you find the corresponding points on your ear. They can also show you how to properly place the seeds.
Traditionally, ear seeds come from the flowering herb vaccaria. But today, you can also find metal or ceramic beads.
Most acupuncturists who do ear seed placement have their own seeds, but you can also purchase your own online.
If you do want to try them yourself, follow these steps:
● Clean and dry the outside of your ear. Ear seeds should always go on the outside of your ear, never in your ear canal.
● Identify the correct point. Some ear seed kits come with charts showing the location of specific points. An acupuncturist can also help you locate the best points for your needs.
● Use tweezers to apply the ear seed to the point on your ear. Ear seeds typically come pre-attached to adhesive tape; try not to touch the sticky side of the tape. Press gently on the tape to make sure it sticks.
● Massage ear seeds gently. Do this two to three times each day or when you have symptoms. Apply pressure by rubbing the seeds with a circular motion for one to three minutes.
● Change them regularly. Ear seeds may fall off on their own after about three to five days. It’s not recommended to leave them on for more than five days, even if they’re still in place.
● Remove them. You can use tweezers or your nails. To make sure seeds don’t fall into your ear canal, tilt your head so your ear faces the ground before taking them off. If a seed does fall into your ear and doesn’t come out, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
It’s a good idea to let your skin rest between ear seed placements. Try to wait a day (at least eight hours) before using new ear seeds.
While using ear seeds, check your ears each day for signs of irritation, such as:
redness
swelling
soreness
tenderness
Remove the seeds right away if you notice any of these symptoms. Side effects ● dizziness
● nausea
● drowsiness
While these side effects aren’t very common, it’s best to avoid driving immediately after massaging your ear seeds until you know how your body reacts.
Generally, it’s always a good idea to check in with your healthcare provider before trying any new treatment, including ear seeds.
Fitness Training
Fitness training balances five elements of good health.Make sure your routine includes aerobic fitness, strength training core exercises, balance training, and flexibility and stretching.
Aerobic Fitness
Aerobic activity, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the cornerstone of most fitness training programs. Aerobic activity or exercise causes you to breathe faster and more deeply, which maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your heart will beat faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs.
The better your aerobic fitness, the more efficiently your heart, lungs and blood vessels transport oxygen throughout your body — and the easier it is to complete routine physical tasks and rise to unexpected challenges, such as running to your car in the pouring rain..
Aerobic activity includes any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate. Try walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing, water aerobics — even leaf raking, snow shoveling and vacuuming.
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. You can even break up activity into shorter periods of exercise and aim to move more during the day. Any amount is better than none at all.
You can also try high-intensity interval training, which involves alternating short bursts of intense activity (around 30 seconds) with subsequent recovery periods (around three to four minutes) of lighter activity. For example, you could alternate periods of brisk walking with periods of leisurely walking, or include bursts of jogging in your brisk walks.
Strength Training Muscular fitness is another key component of a fitness training program. Strength training can help you increase bone strength and muscular fitness, and it can help you manage or lose weight. It can also improve your ability to do everyday activities. Aim to include strength training of all the major muscle groups into your fitness routine at least twice a week.
Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines, free weights and other tools for strength training. But you don’t need to invest in a gym membership or expensive equipment to reap the benefits of strength training.
When assessing gait, it is important to understand that a problem affecting one body part can lead to problems elsewhere. A deformity in one part will be compensated in another. Due to the complex interactions of human body parts in movement, there is limited research showing causation between abnormal gait and posture and musculoskeletal pain. At a time where evidence based practice is a growing trend, clinicians working predominantly in this area (eg. podiatrists, physiotherapists and musculoskeletal physicians) must balance this with empirical evidence. Following is an example of how a common painful condition may result from abnormal gait and posture.
Hand-held weights or homemade weights — such as plastic soft drink bottles filled with water or sand — may work just as well. Resistance bands are another inexpensive option. Your own body weight counts, too. Try pushups, pullups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.
Core Exercises The muscles in your abdomen, lower back and pelvis — known as your core muscles — help protect your back and connect upper and lower body movements. Core strength is a key element of a well-rounded fitness training program.
Core exercises help train your muscles to brace the spine and enable you to use your upper and lower body muscles more effectively. So what counts as a core exercise? A core exercise is any exercise that uses the trunk of your body without support, such as bridges, planks, situps and fitness ball exercises.
Examples of core strengthening: bridges, abdominal crunches, planks, Pilates, hanging leg raises, oblique reaches, and fitness ball exercises.
Recommended frequency: at least twice a week.
Balance Training Balance exercises can help you maintain your balance at any age. It’s generally a good idea for older adults in particular to include exercises to maintain or improve balance in their routine exercises. This is important because balance tends to deteriorate with age, which can lead to falls and fractures. Balance exercises can help older adults prevent falls and maintain their independence.
However, anyone can benefit from balance training, as it can help stabilize your core muscles. Try standing on one leg for increasing periods of time to improve your overall stability. Activities such as tai chi can promote balance, too.
Flexibility and Stretching Flexibility refers to the range of motion you have around a given joint. Like muscular strength and endurance, flexibility is joint-specific. For instance, you may have very flexible shoulders, but tight and inflexible hamstrings or hips.
Flexibility is important at any age—it plays a role in unhindered movement and can affect your balance, coordination, and agility. Maintaining a full range of motion through your major joints can reduce the likelihood of injury and enhance athletic performance.
Flexibility improves your joints’ range of motion and makes daily tasks easier. Stretch after your workout when your muscles are warm. Tai chi and yoga also can be used to improve flexibility. Stretching can help increase flexibility, increase circulation, increase range of motion, improve posture, and calm your mind.
Examples of stretching exercises: runners stretch, standing side stretch, forward hang, low lunge arch, and the seated back twist.
Recommended frequency: after every time you exercise.
Osteopathy & modified chiropractics
Osteopathy works with the structure and function of the body. It is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together. Osteopaths use physical manipulation, stretching and massage to:
increase joint mobility,
relieve muscle tension,
enhance the blood and nerve supply,
and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms In Osteopathy diagnosis and treatment are carried out with the hands (Manual Medicine).
Osteopathic techniques An osteopath aims to restore the normal function and stability of the joints to help the body heal itself.
They use their hands to treat your body in a variety of ways, using a mixture of gentle and forceful techniques.
Techniques are chosen based on the individual patient and the symptoms they have reported.
These include:
massage – to release and relax muscles stretching stiff joints articulation – where your joints are moved through their natural range of motion high-velocity thrusts – short, sharp movements to the spine, which normally produce a clicking noise similar to cracking your knuckles These techniques aim to reduce pain, improve movement and encourage blood flow. In general, the first appointment will last about 45 minutes to an hour. Further treatments last around 30 minutes. Your course of treatment will depend on your symptoms.
Common side effects of osteopathy Bruising.
Headache.
Tenderness.
Mild pain or discomfort at the point of manipulation.
Chiropractic Therapy
Chiropractic Therapy is a type of therapy in which the hands are used to manipulate the spine or other parts of the body. Sometimes, heat and ice, relaxation techniques, exercise, and other treatments are also used. Chiropractic therapy may be used to treat conditions such as back pain, neck pain, headache, and hand or foot problems, and to improve overall health. It is a type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
The theory is that proper alignment of the body's musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, will enable the body to heal itself without surgery or medication. Manipulation is used to restore mobility to joints restricted by tissue injury caused by a traumatic event, such as falling, or repetitive stress, such as sitting without proper back support.
Chiropractic treatment is primarily used as a pain relief alternative for muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissue, such as cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. It is sometimes used in conjunction with conventional medical treatment.
Techniques used in Chiropractic Therapy
Spinal manipulation, also called spinal manipulative therapy or manual therapy, combines moving and jolting joints, massage, exercise, and physical therapy. It’s designed to relieve pressure on joints, reduce inflammation, and improve nerve function. It’s often used to treat back, neck, shoulder, and headache pain. Chiropractors use it to treat other disorders too, such as menstrual pain and sinus problems.
Manual manipulation is a specialized form of physical treatment often used in conjunction with regular physical therapy techniques. While physical therapy often uses devices, machines or other modalities, manual manipulation largely involves your therapist’s hands.
Mobilization is a manual therapeutic technique that fosters movement in stagnant tissues and joints. Spinal mobilization uses massage to break down scar tissue and restrictions that are typically associated with trauma to the soft tissue such as a strained muscle or pulled ligament.
CONDITIONS TREATED Chiropractors diagnose and Treat various spinal disorders that cause Musculoskeletal or Nerve pain. The problems that are evaluated and Treated with chiropractic care are:
Back Sprains and Strains
Cervicogenic Headaches
Coccydynia
Degenerative Disc Disease
Herniated Disc
Myofascial pain
Sciatica
Spondylosis or Spinal Osteoarthritis
Subluxation
Sports Injuries
Fibromyalgia
Plantar Fasciitis
Lifestyle Modification Counseling Lifestyle choices and behaviors that can have negative effects on your health include:
Lack of regular exercise
Smoking
Poor diet
Excessive mental stress
Over-reliance on medication
Excessive consumption of alcohol
Poor posture
Improper lifting
Your chiropractor will talk to you about your lifestyle choices, help you sort through and identify unhealthy health habits, and give you practical strategies to deal with and manage them. As you can see, chiropractic medicine is more than just spinal manipulations. Chiropractors use a variety of treatment modalities to help the body to heal itself and return the patient to a pain-free and healthy life
Taping
Tapping is a form of strapping. It is the procedure that uses tape, attached to the skin, to physically keep in place muscle or bone at a certain position to reduce pain and aid recovery.It is a form of partial immobilization of joints.
Taping is commonly used as an adjunct or temporary technique. Athletes often make use of taping as a protective mechanism in the presence of an existing injury. Some of the goals with taping are to restrict the movement of injured joints, soft tissue compression to reduce swelling. support anatomical structures, and as protection from re-injury. Taping is used as one of the means of rehabilitation or prophylaxis in instances where support and stability are needed, as a first-aid tool, for the prevention of injury and protection of an injured anatomical structure while healing is taking place.
Purpose and Effect of Taping Techniques
The tape is commonly used by physiotherapists to:
● relieve your pain
● improve joint stability
● enhance athlete confidence
● reduce injury recurrence
● prevent injury
● reduce strain on injured or vulnerable tissues
● correct faulty biomechanics
● inhibit muscle action
● facilitate muscle action
● enhance proprioception
● compress in the presence of edema or lymphatic drainage
Some of these purposes may be achieved through a combination of these possible effects of taping:
● mechanical effects
● neuromuscular effects
● psychological effects
There are different kinds of tape that can be employed:
● Rigid strapping tape commonly used in taping or strapping is often referred to as “sports tape” or “athletic tape” and is most often a rigid style of strapping tape.
● Elastic strapping tape can also be used when less rigidity or support is required.
● Kinesiology tape is an improved version of elastic sports tape that acts to dynamically assist your muscle function. Types of Kinesiology Taping
K-Taping can be applied in the shape of a "Y", "I", "X", "Fan", "Web" or "Donut". The selection of the shape depends upon the size of the affected muscle and the result one is trying to achieve.
"Y" Tape application is generally used to
● Surround the target Muscle
Inhibit or Facilitate muscle stimuli
● Should be 2 inches longer than the target muscle "I" Tape application is generally used for
● Acute injuries in place of "Y" Tape
● Oedema and pain(Primary purpose)
● Alignment correction "X" Tape application is generally used when
● The origin and the intersection of the target muscle change depending on movement e.g. the Rhomboids "Fan" /"web" tape application is used for
● Oedema (Web is different because the ends remain intact) "Donut" tape application is used for:
● Oedema (Use overlapping strips and the center is cut out over the area of focus) Conditions treated :
● Mitigating Pain and Swelling
● Supporting Weak Zones
● Treating Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome, IT Band Friction Syndrome, Achilles Tendonitis
● Re-educating Muscles
● Correct Posture in head, neck etc
● Enhancing Performance in Athletes
● Managing Scars
● Contraindications
Malignancy
Infection, cellulitis
Open Wound
DVT Precautions:
Diabetes
Congestive Heart Failure
Fracture
Mckenzie Method
The mckenzie method (or mechanical diagnosis and therapy, MDT) IS a system of diagnosis and treatment for spinal and extremity musculoskeletal disorders.
In the treatment by the McKenzie method disorders in the spine, which have reverberated symptoms in the extremities, important place takes an Centralization - the symptoms movement from the distal segments of body to the proximal. Advent of centralization is a good signal and speaks of correctness actions being taken. And in contrast, Peripheralization - the movement of pain from the spine to the extremities, indicates a worsening
The McKenzie method exists of 4 steps:
Assessment:
Clinician taking a history of symptoms and how they behave. Next suggested performing certain movements and adopting specific positions. Clinician ask how symptoms are affected. How symptoms and range of movement change with these repeated movements and positions provides the clinician with information that they use to understand the nature of the problem. Classification:
Based on assessment the symptoms of spine and limbs are classified into 3 subgroups: derangement syndrome, dysfunction syndrome and postural syndrome. There is also subgroup “other” (non-mechanical syndromes in which MDT does not work) which accounts for less than 3% cases. The choice of exercises in the McKenzie method is based upon the direction (flexion, extension or lateral shift of the spine). Treatment:
The aims of the therapy are: reducing pain, centralization of symptoms (symptoms migrating into the middle line of the body) and the complete recovery of pain. Prevention:
The prevention step consists of educating and encouraging the patient to exercise regularly and self-care.
All exercises are repeated a number of times to end-range on spinal symptoms in one direction. When you do only 1 repetition, this can cause pain. When you repeat it several times the pain can decrease. Also after movement termination the changes in pain intensity can persist, which leads to a treatment modality. A single direction of repeated movements or sustained postures leads to sequential and lasting abolition of all distal referred symptoms and subsequent abolition of any remaining spinal pain.
The McKenzie method compared to manual therapy in the management of patients with chronic low back pain concluded that the McKenzie method is a successful treatment to decrease pain in the short term and enhance function in the long term.
Condition stages of healing Injury and Inflammation
● Protect from further damage
● Preventive excessive inflammatory exudate
● Reduce Swelling
Repair and Healing
● Gentle natural tension and loading
● Progressive return to normal loads and tension Remodeling
● Prevent contractures
● Normal loading and tension to increase strength and flexibility Contraindications and Precautions
Assess for pelvic rotation and if found address before applying McKenzie exercises.
For patients with lumbar spinal stenosis or facet joint osteoarthritis , spine extension may actually increase pain.
Radiculopathic pain below the knee
Recent trauma (MVA/ Sports etc)
Concurrent bowel / bladder problems
Unwell: cancer, infections, fever, sweating
Mulligan Concept
The Mulligan concept involves several different mobilising techniques to treat the spine. The technique also treats limbs affected by damage to the spine. The mobilising techniques include Natural Hypophyseal Glides (NAGs), Sustained Natural Hypophyseal Glides (SNAGs) and Mobilisations with Movement (MWMs). Your physiotherapist will select treatment appropriate to the individual and their pain.
How does it work?
The Mulligan concept uses specifically directed mobilisations of the spine whilst it is in a weight bearing position. The aim of these mobilisations is to increase the pain free range of movement of the spine and affected limbs. The mobilisations are repeated until this outcome is achieved.
The Mulligan concept has the following benefits:
Reduces pain
Increase pain free range of movement of spine and limbs
Increases function Benefits
The Mulligan concept is beneficial for anyone with neck or back pain and resulting limb pain such as:
● Joint stiffness in the back or neck as well as the arms or legs
● Reduced range of movement in the back or neck as well as the arms or legs
● Pain in the back or neck as well as the arms or legs Conditions treated
This treatment treats joint pains, range of motion restrictions, and there are a few techniques that can even help patients affected by radiating back or neck pain, as well as headaches.
Principles of Mulligan Concept A passive accessory joint mobilization is applied following the principles of Kaltenborn. This accessory glide must itself be pain-free.
● During the assessment, the therapist will identify one or more comparable signs as described by Maitland. These signs may be; a loss of joint movement, pain associated with movement, or pain associated with specific functional activities ● The therapist must continuously monitor the patient’s reaction to ensure no pain is recreated. The therapist investigates various combinations of parallel or perpendicular glides to find the correct treatment plane and grade of accessory movement.
● While sustaining the accessory glide, the patient is requested to perform the comparable sign. The comparable sign should now be significantly improved
● Failure to improve the comparable sign would indicate that the therapist has not found the correct treatment plane, grade of mobilization, spinal segment or that the technique is not indicated.
● The previously restricted and/or painful motion or activity is repeated by the patient while the therapist continues to maintain the appropriate accessory glide.
Dorn Therapy
The Dorn method is a form of manual, holistic alternative therapy used to correct misalignments in the spinal column and other joints.During a treatment, the practitioner palpates the patient’s spine. Assessment in general practice
The Dorn Method is a gentle spinal column and joint treatment designed to help alleviate back pain and headaches, caused by misaligned vertebrae or a difference in leg lengths. It’s a non-manipulative treatment that can help joints and vertebrae slip back into their original position through dynamic movements. For example, the client aids the therapist by swinging a leg, the arms or moving the head depending on the area the therapist is working on.
The Dorn Method is a gentle, ‘fix-in-motion’ method which can be controlled by the client themselves. No force, twisting or cracking methods are used. It has a holistic approach and a unique self-help guide that enhances the therapy. Every step of the therapy can be done at home so you can continue to treat yourself. This helps to stabilise the progress made during the session and improve the healing between sessions.
The idea behind this technique is based on one leg appearing to be slightly longer than the other, but you may not even be aware of it. We start with measuring the lengths of your legs. If the leg is anatomically longer, this technique may not necessarily be the right one for you, but most of the time we find that it is only a functional discrepancy. This means that the ankle, knee or hip may be slightly out of alignment and can be adjusted in a very gentle way before we look at the sacroiliac area and then the rest of the spine and joints. Whatever we find, you will have some exercises to do at home which need to be completed for a few weeks - not the rest of your life! This helps the body get used to the new position. I often see clients coming in with scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and walking out with a straight back and considerably less or no pain at all!
Why choose me?
Integrated/Holistic approach helps keep a strong focus on patient needs and deliver the highest level of patient centric care with better outcomes. Find the root cause of the problem and treat it the right way. Exact origin of the problem will be find out, resolved and that will make all the difference.
Appreciations
From all the years of experiences, here are some of the valuable appreciation I got from some of the reputed personnels in the society.
Sri Ramesh Chennithala Leader of Opposition Kerala Government
Sri C Divakaran MLA/ Head of Environment Health & Safety Tata Consultancy Services
Dr Rishikesh Senior Scientist WHO HQ (Retd) Geneva
Dr Molly Antony Scientist G Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences
Sri Santhosh Vivarthana Coaching Trivandrum
Ms Rati Saxena International writer and Vedic scholar
Sri Jogesh IPS Vigilance and Security Officer KTDC
