Physical Therapy Services
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Whole-body manual assessment and treatment.
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Osteopathy is a complementary form of medical treatment that focuses on holistic health. Osteopathic treatment aims to treat the patient through hands-on manipulation of joints, muscles, and bones to relieve pain and other symptoms. These techniques may include things like gentle pressure, stretching, and resistance. By using these methods, we can help you achieve increased whole-body health without the use of medications as the first line of treatment.
How It Works
How osteopathic manual technique is done
Osteopathic manipulative technique is a hands-on approach that assesses the body as a connected whole rather than treating the painful part in isolation. The therapist evaluates how joints, muscles and the tissue between them move relative to each other, then uses graded manual techniques — gentle pressure, positioning, stretching, and resisted movement — to work on what the assessment found restricted.
Sessions are conducted with you clothed and mostly lying down. The techniques range from very light contact to firmer mobilisation, chosen to suit the tissue and how irritable it is.
What It Addresses
What osteopathic manual technique is used for
This approach is used here to address presentations like these. What is appropriate for you follows from the assessment.
- Restricted movement in joints and the soft tissue around them
- Musculoskeletal complaints where the painful area and the restricted area are not the same
- Postural and mechanical strain built up over time rather than from one injury
- Patients looking for a hands-on, non-pharmacological starting point
What to Expect
One-on-one care, built around you
Your care begins with a one-on-one evaluation. Rather than focusing on the symptoms alone, we establish a cause and effect relationship through accurate palpation and assessment of the body, then build a rehabilitation program customized to your individual needs.
- A whole-body movement assessment, not only of the region you came in about. This is what tells the therapist where to work.
- Hands-on treatment in the same visit, using techniques matched to how irritable the tissue is — light positional work for a reactive area, firmer mobilisation where it is tolerated.
- A short home component: usually a position or movement to repeat, so the visit is not the only thing acting on the problem.
- Reassessment at the following visit before more treatment, so the plan follows the response rather than a template.
Common Questions
Questions we are asked about Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
- How is this different from a massage?
- Massage works primarily on soft tissue. Osteopathic manual technique is organised around joint and tissue movement assessment: the therapist evaluates how a region moves, treats what is restricted, and reassesses. Both are offered here, and they are often used in the same plan.
- Do I need to undress?
- No. Treatment is performed through clothing. Wear something loose and comfortable that lets the therapist reach and move the area — soft trousers or shorts and a t-shirt are ideal.
- Is it painful?
- The techniques are graded to what the tissue tolerates, and the therapist works within that. Some techniques involve firm pressure and an irritated area can be tender under it. Say so at the time — the technique, the pressure and the position can all be changed.
- Do I need a referral?
- We accept major insurance providers, but coverage for manual treatment varies by plan, and some plans ask for a physician's referral or prescription while others do not. Call (212) 922-0044 before your first visit and we will confirm your coverage and tell you what, if anything, you need to bring.