How can Visceral Manipulation help you?

Written by: Yuchin Chang, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT

I’ve learned a couple of Visceral Manipulation (VM) techniques from my fellow therapists, but I was never formally introduced to it. This year, I had an opportunity to attend a VM course, which was so fascinating.  VM is an osteopathic technique that uses light manual touch to engage the fascia lining the internal organs, ligaments, or membrane.   The goal of VM is to assist the body to rebalance itself by engaging with the proprioceptive receptors in the fascia. Since the fascia is rich in receptors, gentle manual touch can have a broad effect beyond the local contact point.

The manual touch used in VM is specific and light; in other words, less is more.  If the touch is harder than it is supposed to be, the hands will overshoot and miss the engagement with the tissue.  No change will occur.

VM offers a different approach to treat one’s aches and pains.  For instance, for someone who has pain and stiffness in the right shoulder, in addition to working on the muscles and shoulder joint,  a therapist may be able to evaluate the fascia covering the liver and its ligaments and perform VM to free up the restriction accordingly.  VM is also helpful to treat chronic back and pelvic pain, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and so on.

VM techniques can also help people who have had pain as a result of abdominal surgery (c-section, pelvic surgery) or trauma (whiplash injury).  Scar tissue can decrease fascia mobility and restrict motion.  With proper VM release techniques, one can have a faster recovery and decreased tissue adhesion.

If you have other pain conditions and uncertain whether VM can help you or not, please contact our office.   Call Professional Physical Therapy and Training at 973-270-7417.  Our offices are located within the YMCA locations in Madison and Summit, NJ.  You do not need to be a member of the YMCA to visit with us.