Manual Osteopathy: Cranial Osteopathy

Manual osteopathy in the cranial field was pioneered by William Sutherland (1873 to 1954) and remains one of the more controversial areas of manual osteopathy. Cranial osteopathy is based on the supposition that oscillatory motions of the cranial bones and sacrum exist. It stresses the importance of movement within the 29 bones of the skull; the rhythmic movement of spinal fluid through the brain, central nervous system, and body tissues; and the ability of the sacrum to move in a coordinated manner with everything else. These movements are barely perceptible and are mediated through the tension of the various dural membranes such as the falx cerebri, tentorum cerebelli, and the dura along the entire spinal cord. Their amplitude and rate are thought to provide information about the patient's health and are thought to be influenced by the application of gentle pressure over specific areas of the cranium and sacrum. Cranial osteopathy is also thought to influence parasympathetic tone because the origins of parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system are located in the craniosacral regions.

The goals of cranial osteopathy are to normalize nerve function, eliminate circulatory stasis, normalize cerebrospinal fluid fluctuation, release membranous tension, correct cranial articular strains, and modify gross structural patterns. Cranial osteopathy requires special training and should be performed only by certified practitioners. This technique is contraindicated for patients with recent trauma, a lack of biomechanical dysfunction or an aversion to receiving treatment.