Osteopathy is a discipline that diagnoses and treats dysfunctions in the body that can lead to functional disorders causing disruption to a good state of health, solely by the use of manual adjustment. The osteopath looks for which structures are disturbed, particularly in certain acute chronic or subnormal states of the musculoskeletal system. Subnormal states are states between the limit of normal and pathological.

« Osteopathy consists of a combination of science, art and philosophy in a global understanding of the patient, to prevent, diagnose and treat manually the dysfunctions of mobility of the tissues of the human body likely to alter the state of health. »

Osteopathic dysfunction

Causes of osteopathic lesion (or osteopathic dysfunction)

Osteopathic dysfunction is a mechanical and physiological reaction of a body structure in response to aggression: posture disorder, trauma, repeated efforts, repetitive stress disorder, illness, psycho-emotional stress or environmental factors (unhealthy diet, poor lifestyle, pollution). It is inexorably accompanied by a restriction of mobility of the structure concerned.

Consequences of osteopathic lesion (phenomenon of adaptation)

Through the link of tissue correlations, this restriction of mobility will remotely resonate on one or more structures. The body will then try to adapt as best it can by means of a rebalancing of its structure (mechanical reaction at the level of the joints), and / or a modification of its functions (physiological reaction at the level of the organs). This is the phenomenon of adaptation.

Mechanisms (or phenomenon ) of regulation / adaptation / compensation / decompensation

When these mechanisms of regulation become too great, the body compensates little by little, (the phenomenon of compensation), but the functional disorder persists and can be then become the origin of a disease that will reveal itself at a later date, which is the decompensation.

The neuro-musculoskeletal system is “the primary machinery of life”. All other systems are at its service. 

Irvin Korr Professor in the Department of Physiology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville USA from 1944 to 1975.

Dr. Korr has spent more than thirty years of his life as a researcher trying to scientifically highlight the neurobiological mechanisms involved in manipulative therapies, thus bringing to osteopathy a scientific justification and especially a new physiological conception of the lesion. Osteopathic as well as experimental evidence is expressed in scientific language of osteopathic efficacy. The myth of the moving vertebra is no more. The osteopathic lesion, surface phenomenon or simple mechanical error is replaced by a solid physiological concept because it has been experimentally established; thus constantly supporting us in our treatments and in our dialogues with others.

At each stage of the spinal cord and spine, we note the emergence of nerves whose innervation is responsible for specific territories (metamers) related to the visceral (viscerotome), cutaneous (dermatome), osteoarticular ( sclerotome), muscle (myotome) and vascular (angiotome) systems.

In osteopathy, one notes on the one hand that a vertebral dysfunction causes effects on both the mechanical and visceral territories of the thorax. When Still says, “Structure governs function,” it implies that if the rib cage is blocked, the respiratory function is obviously disrupted, which is found in asthmatic patients. On the other hand, a metameric overload (viscerotome, dermatome …) causes a facilitation of the nervous system (Irvin Korr) that will respond to all related metamers.

According to Professor Irvin Korr (The facilitated spinal segment), a blockage of the sclerotome (osteo-articular), irritates the nerve fibers which causes local or remote reflex reaction, discomfort, pain and irritation of the autonomic system that responds by hyper soliciting the entire metamer resulting in facilitation viscerotome (viscera), dermatome (cutaneous), sclerotome (osteo-articular), myotome (muscular) and angiotome (vascular).

As we will see in detail below, somatic dysfunctions in the rib cage will have two types of repercussions:

• Mechanics: Any osteo-articular lesion on the rib cage (both rib and vertebral), more particularly in the first 3 thoracic stages, will cause bronchial dysfunction and will have consequences on the tension of the intercostal muscles. (and even the diaphragm) preventing a good amplification of the chest and may cause respiratory discomfort like chest tightness or shortness of breath for example. The treatment of this lesions will restore a correct respiratory function.

• The other Neurological:

Irvin Korr Professor of Physiology at Kirksville USA from 1944 to 1975.