Move It !

Mind & Spirit : NST Life & Times 8/6/2010

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Health_Moveit_/Article

BY CHIM LI YEN

A sedentary lifestyle and bad posture are the main reasons for spinal and joint pain, which the Dorn Therapy seeks to rectify
DO you suffer from back, neck or shoulder pain? If so, you are not alone.

In the United States, acute lower back pain is among the top five reasons for seeing a doctor and about nine out of 10 working adults experience back pain at some point in their life. Dorn Therapy is an effective way to deal with problems of the spine, joints and neck, headaches caused by injury, poor posture or legs of different lengths.

It’s a gentle form of manual therapy that guides and restores the body to its natural alignment, allowing the client to achieve a state of wholeness again. It’s a non-manipulative treatment, with the client very much involved during the session with the therapist. The joints and vertebrae slip back into their natural positions with the help of controlled movements by the client. Its gentle re-alignment techniques focus on balancing leg length, the spine and joints in the body.

A Dorn practitioner doesn’t touch the spine but adjusts the posture by working with muscles around it for postural correction. Originating in Germany about 35 years ago, Dorn Therapy can be traced back to folk-healing practices of 14th Century Europe.

The founder, sawmill owner Dieter Dorn, suffered from severe sciatica which years of medical treatment were not able to cure. He finally found relief when an old farmer performed some movements with his body, using knowledge passed down for generations. Fascinated, Dorn learnt the technique and passed on the knowledge by developing Dorn Therapy. He was surprised that other ailments such as heart diseases, hearing problems, asthma and joint pains also disappeared after treatment.

Later, he discovered that when he aligns the client’s spine, he is also treating meridians along the spine. The internal organs are connected to the spinal cord through spinal nerves. Currently, the therapy is used in hospitals in Germany and is widely practised across Europe. It is gaining popularity in other countries as well.

According to Dorn Therapy practitioner Terry McCarthy, the two main groups of people who seek treatment are athletes who have suffered injury or trauma (tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, etc) and people in pain due to bad posture (frozen shoulder, lower back pain, sciatica, headache from misalignment of the spine, shoulder pain, scoliosis, hip pain, etc).

“Regular movement of the spine is a necessary stimulus for endorphin (natural pain relievers) production by the brain and spinal cord. With inadequate endorphin production, many sensations are experienced as pain. We don’t move as much as our ancestors did, but our bodies are designed to be mobile, flexible structures.Most people, including children, spend a lot of time in front of computers and end up with a forward head posture and tight shoulders,” adds McCarthy.

Forward head posture is when the person’s head juts forward and does not sit over the shoulders. A domino effect then results when the centre of gravity is altered because the head has shifted forward. The upper body compensates by drifting backward and the hips tilt forward. Numerous problems such as a 30 per cent reduction in lung function, indigestion and a rigid body occur when this hunched position is assumed.

“Until the age of 12, our spinal discs, ligaments and cartilage are fed by the vascular system. After that, the blood supply to these structures ‘dries up’ and normal spinal motion brings nutrients into and takes waste products out of these areas.

“Movement is essential to life! Without regular movement, the spine and its surrounding tissues do not get the nutrients needed to keep them flexible and shock-absorbent,” explains McCarthy.

A session with a Dorn Therapy practitioner takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Depending on the client’s condition, one to three sessions may be required to fully align posture to its original, symmetrical form.

Each session involves three segments. First, the client is taught that poor posture is the root cause of the problem due to computer usage, lack of movement and from sitting for long periods of time. Then, the hands-on treatment follows to reveal points of stress and poor alignment. Alignment of the pelvis, lumbar, thoracic and cervical (neck) areas are checked. The practitioner will gently correct the alignment by applying pressure on certain points with his hands or fingers, assisted by the client’s arm, neck and leg movements. Don’t be afraid. There is no force, cracking or crunching involved in the session. Lastly, the client will be taught simple, do-it-yourself home exercises to prevent the problem from reoccurring.

Sometimes, relevant psychological connections are also addressed. Most clients immediately feel better after the treatment. However, reactions ranging from dull muscle pain (similar to a gym workout) to pressure sensitivity on the corrected area can be felt up to a few days after the session. Some people undergo a form of detoxification such as flu-like symptoms and changes in bowel movement due to improved metabolism resulting from better nerve function.

Brisbane-born McCarthy has always been interested in the body since he was a boy. Since the early 1970s McCarthy learnt and practised numerous bodywork techniques such as myofacial therapy, positional release therapy, trigger point therapy, Bowen therapy, Alexander technique and Rolfing.

His tips for good posture are:
1. Always sit in chairs with lower back support.
2. Be cautious of sitting too long in one position. Move around!
3. Walk with your chin up and stand tall.

McCarthy will be giving a free talk on Dorn Therapy at The Violet Flame in Bangsar at 7.30pm on Thursday and private sessions will be available from Thursday to Sunday. Call 03-2095 9868 to register.

• The writer is co-founder of The Violet Flame Holistic Shop and Therapy Centre, Bangsar. Check out her website at www.thevioletflame.com.my