CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY EXPLAINED
CranioSacral Therapy (CST)
One of my favorite things about working with the body is learning more about how it works.
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To understand CranioSacral Therapy, let's talk a little about something most of us have already heard of first: Myofascial Release. Myo (or muscle) fascial Release (MFR) is a bodywork technique that focuses on releasing tension and restrictions in the fascia.
But what is fascia?
Fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds and supports our muscles, bones, and organs - kind of like our internal saran-wrap but much, much more. It's made up of:
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Collagen - you've heard of this - it's a fibrous, tough substance, and provides strength to the fascia;
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Elastin - as the name suggests, an elastic stretchy substance that has memory of shape. In other words: it knows where it's been and wants to go back there. And
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Ground Substance - a gel-like material that transmits movement, provides nutrients, removes waste, has sensory and motor fibers and helps give structure to the body.
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Together these components allow our fascia to provide support and nourishment to our bodies, transmit force and energy, maintain the shape and function of our organs, and even help us sense where our body is in space (proprioception). It is truly one of the most dynamic and fascinating parts of our bodies.
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What does that have to do with the pain in my neck/back/hip, etc.?
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It's not only your muscles that respond to trauma, overuse, misuse, disuse or disease. Fascia will also often change in response to these things and become what is called disorganized. This disorganization can lead to:
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inflammation
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pain
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restriction (or scar tissue), and
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loss or change of function.
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Using MFR, we can reorganize the fascia to help restore function and reduce pain and restriction.
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How is all of this related to CranioSacral Therapy?
We've talked about how you have that incredible fascial system all around your muscles and organs, but did you know that you also have fascia in and around your brain and spinal cord? It's part of what is known as the CranioSacral System. This fascia can become restricted too. If disorganized fascia around your muscles can cause debilitating pain and loss of function, just imagine the havoc it can wreak if it is causing restriction to your brain and nerves. Disorganized fascia effecting the nervous system and can dis-regulate the entire body.
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How does that happen?
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Your body is an amazing self-correcting mechanism. I often tell my clients that we are creatures of compensation.
Think about it: if you stub your toe, do you suddenly lose your ability to walk? Well, maybe for a minute or two, but then your body self-corrects, using different muscles to keep you moving without you having to come up with a plan or tell it to do anything. It’s really a super power!
These self-corrections happen constantly every single day: you pick up something heavy with one arm and your weight shifts to the other side keep you balanced; your posture slouches forward with fatigue and your hips and low back tighten to hold you upright; you walk into a chilly office and your shoulders rise to help keep your head and neck warm. They can also be emotional self-corrections: you bite back a response to keep the peace in a relationship; you bury your own pain to better focus on the immediate needs of others; you push past a traumatic event because you just don’t have time to deal with it right now.
But while these corrections in the moment are helpful and can even be life saving, they can also sometimes lead to our bodies getting stuck in painful physical and emotional patterns. These patterns can be difficult to unravel if you don't address the central nervous system to give your body the time and space to decompress, to reorganize. And remember: everything inside of us is connected by our network of fascia.
It is literally all connected.
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Enter ​CranioSacral Therapy (CST).
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CST was pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger after extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics.
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CST is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system - comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system, which has been shown to improve the functioning of the central nervous system, as well as many other systems of the body, such as digestive, musculoskeletal, respiratory, circulatory, and more. CST has also been shown to help with the physical components related to such somatic conditions as Post Traumatic Stress, depression and anxiety.
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By facilitating the body's natural and innate healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and has been shown to be beneficial for people seeking help with a wide range of healthcare challenges and symptoms including*:
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*Source: Upledger Institute International