experienced after around five to ten sessions. Craniosacral therapy is regarded as one of the safest therapies available. It is non-invasive and works on a subtle level, facilitating the body’s natural ability to heal.

A registered craniosacral therapist is a graduate of a training course accredited by the Craniosacral Association of the UK and has to undertake continuing professional development. Chartered physiotherapists are able to practise craniosacral therapy as part of their scope of practice as long as they have achieved a measured level competence as a result of training by an accredited college or training organisation. It should be understood that the approaches used by a craniosacral therapist may vary according to where and how they have been trained. The author is registered with the Craniosacral Association of the UK (www. craniosacral.co.uk), which requires its members to adhere to a strict code of ethics and practice and to undertake a programme of continuing professional development.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING A TREATMENT SESSION?

A craniosacral therapist is trained to “listen” to what is going on in the body using very light manual contact. The therapist uses this contact to identify and assist the release of pain and tension in the body. It may take a few sessions to get used to the process, so it is often beneficial to consider having a series of treatments in order to discover the benefits and effects of craniosacral therapy. The client may feel a deep sense of relaxation during the therapy session, and there can be an awareness of heat, tingling, pulsations or other sensations. A craniosacral therapy session is very much led by the client: the client’s body sets the pace of work during a session, so the experience is comfortable. The client feels in control and is able to integrate the changes that occur. Therapy sessions typically last between 45 and 90

minutes, depending on the practitioner and the nature of the visit. The number of sessions varies according to the condition being treated. Often, many benefits are

POPULAR, PERHAPS DUE TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS GENTLE APPROACH

8

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY

HOW CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY WORKS The body’s tissues contract in response to physical strains or emotional stress. Sometimes these physical or emotional shocks can be very severe and the body is unable to resolve the effects of the contraction. Tensions remaining in the body restrict its function, which can lead to the development of problems over the years. The effects of such contractions include back pain, migraine, digestive disorders and emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. Such contractions in the body could also be contributors to troublesome sports injuries. These restrictions show up as differences in the way craniosacral motion is expressed in the body. These differences can be felt by the therapist and used to identify where there is congestion or restriction in the body. The therapist’s hands are used to amplify the pattern of movement that the body is expressing. This provides an opportunity for the body to “let go” of its restriction and thus find a better way of functioning. The body has to use energy to hold the contraction in the body. When the body has let go of the contraction or restriction, this energy is set free and therefore there is often an increase in available energy in the body as an outcome of this therapy. There can also be an increase in emotional or mental ease. Craniosacral therapy is also highly effective as a general therapy to help people gain a feeling of wellbeing and also to regain a feeling of balance.

TREATMENT OF TRIGGER POINTS Many writers have produced works on trigger points. These points are blamed for a range of musculoskeletal dysfunction. Simons et al., writing on the phenomenon of trigger points, describe trigger points and how they were caused (1). They also discuss seemingly intractable pain, which is often characteristically worsened by exercise but could be relieved or removed with simple treatment methods. A reference appears to myofascial release, which is given a “cranial” link by the authors. Their observation in this reference is that trigger points not treated directly by cranial techniques would remain untreated. However, with my understanding of the effects of craniosacral treatment, all trigger-point symptoms are likely to be addressed at some point, although some may be more deep-seated than others and therefore treated at different times during a series of treatment sessions. Leon Chaitow has written widely concerning this subject

and strives to compare different methods of treatment (2). His description – and my experience – of using positional release techniques (3) can be likened to the process of fascial unwinding, a useful technique used in craniosacral therapy. Positional release techniques are a group of manual treatment methods that can help to relieve painful, traumatised or inflamed soft tissue. Essentially, an affected area is placed in its most eased, pain-free position. This provides an opportunity for the release of spasm or increased tone, thus resolving the musculoskeletal dysfunction (3). This method of treatment is also referred to

sportEX dynamics 2009;20(Apr):7-10