What is Manual Osteopathic Therapy

What is Manual Osteopathic Therapy?

Answer: Manual Osteopathic Therapy is a gentle non-invasive hands-on therapy that focuses on bringing the body’s structure and function back to a state of whole body optimal health. Through extensive intake notes and various hands-on assessments dysfunctional patterns are recognized that reside in the body causing structural and functional disruptions that may present as pain or dis-ease in the body. These disruptions are treated through various techniques. These may include Muscle Energy Techniques to balance musculoskeletal restrictions (skeletal and muscle), joint and fascial mobilizations aiding in releasing “stuck joints” by engaging with soft tissues and fascial manipulation that help increase range of motion along with Myofascial remodeling that allows the release of fascial restriction/adhesion to increase circulation. Lymphatic techniques aid to enhancing fluid flow releasing congested toxic areas to improve immunity and Cranial Sacral techniques to improve the Primary Respiratory Mechanism which includes mobility of cranial bones, skeletal structures, meninges (connective tissues), central nervous system and circulation of all fluids. Visceral techniques aid in increasing mobility and motility (function) of the organs of the body.

The goal of Manual Osteopathic Therapy is to restore health and balance by assessing and treating the imbalances that reside within the structures and functions of the body having an appreciation that the body works as a single unit, the body has an innate ability to heal itself, the musculoskeletal structures impacts function and the body has self-governing means.

What is the difference between an Osteopath and Manual Osteopathic Therapist or Osteopathic Manual Therapist?

Answer: An Osteopath in Canada refers to a Medical Doctor that has specialized training in Osteopath Therapy. There are currently no schools in Canada that provide this specialized training, and there are currently between 20-30 Osteopaths nation-wide. In Canada the terms “Osteopath”, and “Osteopathic Physician” are both protected titles under the various provincial legislative acts governing their respective College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Manual Osteopathic Therapists or Osteopathic Manual Therapists (the terms are interchangeable) are non-physicians who have been trained in a specialized school of Manual Osteopathic Therapy.

According to the World Health Organization there are 2 different types of Manual Osteopathic Therapists.

The first training program – which is referred to as Type 1 – is “aimed at those with little or no prior health-care training, but who have completed high school education or equivalent. These programs typically are four-year, full-time programs. A typical type 1 program would take 4200 hours, including at least 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice and training.

The second training program – which is referred to as Type 2 – is “aimed at those with prior training as health-care professionals. Type 2 programs have the same aims and content as the Type 1 programs, but the course content and length may be modified depending on the prior experience and training of individual applicants.” This program is typically around 1000 hours in length and is adapted depending on the individuals prior training and knowledge.

You can view the entire World Health Organization Document – Benchmarks for Training in Osteopathy by visiting here: https://cmtdev.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WHO-Benchmark-in-MO-Training.pdf

What is the difference between a 4-5-year Manual Osteopathic program and a 1–2-year
Manual Osteopathic Therapy program?

Answer: The primary difference is in the type of benchmark that the programs are trying to attain. Most of the 4 to 5 years schools have been started by Manual Osteopathic Therapists that have been trained and emigrated from Europe, Australia, or Asian countries where the training is 4 to 5 years. In Canada, Massage Therapists, Nurses, Physiotherapists, etc. go through rigorous training in Anatomy, and Physiology, whereas most other places in the world, and even in the United States, the requirements for training are much lower. It is with this preconceived idea that many of those schools approach the requirement to have a 4 to 5-year program, as such based on a Type 1 WHO model. Those schools who have a condensed model are the ones who require that the individual taking Manual Osteopathic Therapy have prior experience in the health-care industry(ies) and take the approach of the Type 2 WHO model.

What are the requirements for Manual Osteopathic Therapists with CMMOTA? What is the minimum length of time that would be considered acceptable training?

Answer: The benchmark for Manual Osteopathic Therapists has already been set by The World Health Organization. https://cmtdev.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WHO-Benchmark-in-MO-Training.pdf

In specific regard to our organization’s acceptance of Manual Osteopathic Therapists we look at the requirements laid out for a WHO Type 2 Osteopathic Therapist, which is 1000 hours of instruction at an approved school.