Back Story
A brief side-trip away from Ironman prep and into some physio information today. As previously mentioned, I have kind of a wonky back. Why, you ask? I don't know, I just do. For as long as I can remember (admittedly not that long) and probably for my entire adult life anyway, I've been unable to stand or walk for extended periods without having to stretch or 'crack' my back, or sit down, or preferable both. No big deal, that's just the way it is. I've been going to a chiropractor off and on since, oh, the mid 80's anyway. At least I was, until my chiro moved away to the bustling urban centre of Keswick about 3 years ago. Too far to go. At about the same time I was recommended to see a shiatsu therapist to see if that would help. It did, and I never had to return to a chiropractor. Now my shiatsu therapist, the incredibly gifted Julie Savoie, is moving away, and it's a lot farther than Kesrock ON this time. See previous post from January 5 for background. This is not good, since I found shiatsu to be almost a perfect therapy for me - half massage, half stretching, and extremely energizing. Julie recommended another therapist but this person was halfway across the city, so no thank you.
They say when one door closes another opens, and this week I paid a visit to an osteopath for the first time on the recommendation of a co-worker who claimed that this woman was (is) a miracle-worker. But they all say that, don't they? Well, she did help, although during the treatment it didn't feel like she was doing much at all. Very subtle, but none of that goofy hand-waving energy stuff - this was definitely hands-on technique. Anyway one hour and $100 later my back felt pretty good. I noticed when I got home that I could stand without pain or stiffness for the first time in about 3 weeks. A good sign.
So what is the difference between these 3 therapies? In a very non-scientific nutshell, here's what I know so about each so far:
Chiropractic: involves aggressive maniupulation of the spine to re-align stuff that's, uh, misaligned. Your bones don't actually crack, but they do make some alarming noises sometimes during treatment. Worked for me initially, especially after a head-first crash into the board playing hockey a few years back, so I can't slag chiropractic as a treatment. Wikipedia page
Shiatsu: Originating in Japan, this massage techniqe is apparently related to acupuncture in that it works with the body's energy meridians, but without the needles. Less aggressive than chiropractic, but can involve application of some moderate pressure to stiff or painful areas. I highly recommend it, especially for athletes. Wikipedia page
Osteopathy: even less aggressive than shiatsu, it's basic philosophy is that the human body should be treated as an integrated system and that if our bodies are able to function properly we can affect our own healing. Or something like that, this is all new to me. But hey, if it works I'm all for it. Just don't come near me with a scalpel unless you're about to save my sorry ass from imminent death. Wikipedia page
More info to come as this all shakes out. In the meantime I'm feeling good enough to schedule a 25k run for saturday. Bring it on!
They say when one door closes another opens, and this week I paid a visit to an osteopath for the first time on the recommendation of a co-worker who claimed that this woman was (is) a miracle-worker. But they all say that, don't they? Well, she did help, although during the treatment it didn't feel like she was doing much at all. Very subtle, but none of that goofy hand-waving energy stuff - this was definitely hands-on technique. Anyway one hour and $100 later my back felt pretty good. I noticed when I got home that I could stand without pain or stiffness for the first time in about 3 weeks. A good sign.
So what is the difference between these 3 therapies? In a very non-scientific nutshell, here's what I know so about each so far:
Chiropractic: involves aggressive maniupulation of the spine to re-align stuff that's, uh, misaligned. Your bones don't actually crack, but they do make some alarming noises sometimes during treatment. Worked for me initially, especially after a head-first crash into the board playing hockey a few years back, so I can't slag chiropractic as a treatment. Wikipedia page
Shiatsu: Originating in Japan, this massage techniqe is apparently related to acupuncture in that it works with the body's energy meridians, but without the needles. Less aggressive than chiropractic, but can involve application of some moderate pressure to stiff or painful areas. I highly recommend it, especially for athletes. Wikipedia page
Osteopathy: even less aggressive than shiatsu, it's basic philosophy is that the human body should be treated as an integrated system and that if our bodies are able to function properly we can affect our own healing. Or something like that, this is all new to me. But hey, if it works I'm all for it. Just don't come near me with a scalpel unless you're about to save my sorry ass from imminent death. Wikipedia page
More info to come as this all shakes out. In the meantime I'm feeling good enough to schedule a 25k run for saturday. Bring it on!
posted by carbonman at 8:58 PM
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