My journey to osteopathy has started in China. There I have studied Chinese massage Tui Na which is part of traditional Chinese medicine curriculum. I saw many
doctors uses joint manipulations on different joints. I still remember my teacher
Doctor Tang told me that usage of manipulations is very important for
success in treating a patient. He meant it mainly for his patients
with disc herniation who he was specialized in. Although I have not
seen any harm to patient, they used high velocity thrust techniques,
which are usually done in rapid speed ending with loud crackling
sounds. It was amazing to see how patients stand up after that
manipulations comparing the condition when they entered the
medical room. Even if it was very efficient and highly admired by patients I had feeling I would rather choose something little bit softer.
We can call it destiny
that I have chosen to study Thai massage in Thailand after my few
years trip to China. It is the first time I have met young guy
who called him self osteopath. I was telling him about effectiveness of manipulations . He told me that there are also manipulations in Osteopathy, but it covers only a small part. He said that Osteopathic
treatment has more holistic approach. That
sentence let me chose the way. I chose rather osteopathy then for example chiropractics which I
wanted to study in the first place.
I have always wanted to
study medical subject, mainly because I saw Chinese doctors uses their diagnostic, orthopedic and manipulative skills. I did not want to be just a massage therapist with lot of restrictions. One day I was searching of Osteopathic school but already have been
working as kind a busy massage therapist that time. I found NUMSS
(National University of Medical Sciences ) the Doctor of
Osteopathy (DO) online program with includes practical training as an option.
This is the first school I was attending where teachers listen to
student and grows day by day in their contents. Big part of the
school program is osteopathic mobilizations and muscle energy
techniques which are two big companions.
NUMSS gave me tons of practical informations and skills which I need in my practice. I need orthopedic testing to differentiate patient problem. I need to understand X-Ray findings which my patients bring to me. Nutrition and supplements knowledge. Palpatory and manipulative techniques skills and much more.
All this was well described there and you can always go back and check the knowledge again because in clinical practice we are constant learners. This is advantage of online learning.
In the terms of learning skills, university has provided me with huge amount of techniques in very understandable format. I have learned
muscle energy techniques which are form of osteopathic manipulative diagnosis and treatment where the
patient's muscles are actively used on request. Joint mobilizations which are a skilled passive movement performed to decrease
pain or increase joint mobility. We had also learned Andrew Taylor Still techniques, which are original techniques of osteopathy´s founder and Dr Spitler´s Manual mechanotherapy which is now mainly practiced in Ohio by a group of
practitioners calling themselves mechanotherpists. The techniques are
considered the lost techniques of osteopathy.
I chose to be
part of the practical training in Madrid in which we trained mobilization and muscle energies techniques for almost every joint. I was continuing with the training in Toronto where we trained Cranio-Sacral and Viscreal Therpay which are part of osteopathy and make it unique to other modalities like Physiotherapy or Chiropractic. I really like my teachers there. Starting with Dr. Pourgol who teaches Mobilizations and Muscle energy techniques, but also business management which made us prepared for business life, marketing , safety and promotions. He is the main mascot of the school. Always with positive attitude. Even he is principal of the University and National academy of osteopathy he lives with it. We could ask him any time and he answered all the questions either in lectures or online. University stuff is very kind and was nice to meet them in person. They helped me with every problem or question I have had. I am happy I chose NUMSS. They prepared me to be skilled manual osteopath, enterng the door to osteopathy.Martin Bouska, DO
Osteopathy and Chinese massage
Prague Czech republic
Graduated 2015 (University of Medical Sciences Spain)
