Philosophy and Principles
The philosophy of manual medicine is that:
The body is a perfect machine created for health and activity.
Anatomic dysfunction impedes the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Removal of mechanical impediments allows optimal body fluid flow, nerve function, and restoration of health.
The basis of manual medicine is to identify and treat areas of somatic dysfunction. Somatic dusfunction can be defined as impairment of the musculoskeletal system or related vascular, myofascial, lymphatic, or neural structures.
These impairments are described in terms of restriction of motion, asymmetry of position, changes in tissue texture, and tenderness. Trained practitioners are able to diagnose somatic dysfunction using palpatory techniques.
