Why Visceral Manipulation?

Have you ever had muscular treatment that provides relief, only to find the tension returns within days? This recurring pattern often signals that the muscles are protecting something deeper. Visceral manipulation addresses the soft connective tissues surrounding your internal organs, which may be the underlying cause of persistent muscular tension.

What is Visceral Manipulation?

Visceral manipulation is a gentle, hands-on therapy that works with the connective tissues (fascia) surrounding your internal organs. When these tissues become restricted, they can create tension patterns that affect muscles, joints, and overall movement. Your body’s muscles may tighten as a protective response to these deeper restrictions.

This approach recognizes that our organs are not isolated structures but are intimately connected to our musculoskeletal system through fascia, ligaments, and other connective tissues. Manual therapy often addresses only the muscular component, while visceral manipulation targets the deeper restrictions that muscles are protecting.

Three Main Causes of Restriction

1. Physical Trauma

Direct impacts to the body can affect the organs and their surrounding tissues. A fall, car accident, or sports injury may not only affect your muscles and bones but also the soft tissues around your organs. Even if you didn’t sustain an obvious injury to the area, the force of impact can create restrictions that develop over time.

2. Surgery

Any surgical procedure involves cutting through layers of tissue that must heal. As scar tissue forms, it can create adhesions that bind structures together that should normally glide freely. Abdominal surgeries, C-sections, appendectomies, and other procedures commonly contribute to visceral restrictions. These adhesions may not cause immediate problems but can gradually create tension patterns throughout the body.

3. Infection

Infections in or around the organs can leave lasting effects on the surrounding tissues. When the body fights infection, inflammation occurs, and the healing process can leave behind adhesions or thickened tissues. Even long-resolved infections may have created restrictions that continue to affect your body’s function.

How Treatment Works

Visceral manipulation uses gentle, specifically placed manual forces to encourage normal mobility and motion of the organs and their connective tissues. The therapist listens to the body’s tissues, identifying areas of restriction and tension, then applies precise techniques to release these patterns.

Treatment is generally comfortable and relaxing. You remain fully clothed, and the techniques are applied through the abdomen and other areas with light to moderate pressure.

What to Expect

• Session length: 30 to 60 minutes
• Initial frequency: Every 2-3 weeks to build on the body’s response
• Later frequency: Every 6-8 weeks for maintenance or as needed
• Integration time: Your body needs time between sessions to integrate the changes

Who Can Benefit?

Visceral manipulation may help if you experience:

• Persistent muscular tension that returns after treatment
• Digestive issues or abdominal discomfort
• Chronic back pain, hip pain, or shoulder pain
• Post-surgical pain or stiffness
• Scar tissue-related restrictions
• Unexplained postural changes

A Holistic Approach

Visceral manipulation is not a replacement for traditional physiotherapy but rather a complement to it. By addressing restrictions in the organ systems, we can often achieve more lasting relief from musculoskeletal complaints. When the underlying cause is addressed, the muscles no longer need to maintain their protective tension.

Curious whether visceral manipulation might help your condition? Contact us to discuss your symptoms with one of our therapists.