Developed over 40 years ago by renowned French osteopath Jean-Pierre Barral, Visceral Manipulation is a gentle, hands-on therapy that focuses on the fascial mobilization of internal organs. This approach targets the connective tissue surrounding the organs, helping to restore their natural movement and function.
Visceral Manipulation is especially effective for conditions involving gut inflammation, including IBS, SIBO, leaky gut, acid reflux, and endometriosis.
How It Works
Scar tissue from surgery or trauma can restrict the natural motion of the abdominal organs, reduce blood flow, and affect movement throughout the body. Visceral Manipulation works to gently release scar tissue and adhesions, helping organs move freely again. This can reduce bloating, relieve discomfort, and restore more fluid and functional global movement.
Many clients notice improvements in breathing, reflux, and bloating after just one session.
Benefits of Visceral Manipulation
· Enhances organ mobility
· Improves digestive function
· Stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest response)
· Reduces healing time
· Improves blood circulation to the limbs
· Enhances movement patterns and posture
· Relieves constipation
· Improves breathing capacity
· Decreases abdominal pain and bloating
Visceral Manipulation & Diastasis Recti
Visceral Manipulation is particularly effective in addressing Diastasis Recti, a common condition often related to pregnancy. This condition occurs when the abdominal fascia becomes stretched, thin, and weakened, leading to a separation between the abdominal muscles.
If left untreated, Diastasis Recti can contribute to:
· Core weakness
· Lower back pain
· Pelvic floor dysfunction
· Increased risk of pelvic organ prolapse
By gently restoring mobility to the abdominal organs and releasing tension in the surrounding fascia, Visceral Manipulation can help improve core stability, support the healing of connective tissue, and reduce the strain on the pelvic and lumbar regions.
Here is what Katie says of her experience of Diastasis Recti…
“I first went to see Tracey for a ‘Mummy MOT’ 12 weeks after giving birth to my daughter. It had been a complicated delivery involving pushing for more than 6 hours before an attempted forceps delivery and then an emergency c-section. Despite this after 12 weeks I was feeling good and was keen to start running again, but felt it wise to get checked out first and thank goodness I did!
Tracey’s assessment was extremely thorough and comprehensive and identified several areas of concern which I would have very much exacerbated had a begun to run again before treatment. Tracey identified internal scarring from the forceps which was causing one side of my pelvic wall to tighten, meaning my pelvic floor was not functioning properly and was making intercourse very painful. I would probably thought this pain was ‘normal’ after childbirth had I not been to see Tracey, who resolved it through a combination of treatment and exercises.
She also identified that the Diastasis Recti (separation of abdominal muscles) which most people experience during pregnancy, hadn’t resolved and in fact the well-meaning, but budget-constrained physiotherapy I had received through the NHS via the telephone had exacerbated the problem as they hadn’t been able to examine me and the exercises were unsuitable for the degree of separation I had in my abdominal muscles.
The problem persisted and it looked likely that I would need surgery to resolve it, but Tracey persisted and eventually, through exploring new and innovative treatments, was able to resolve the issue using visceral manipulation. This is an incredibly gentle and soothing technique that reduced the separation from 4cm to 1cm in four 30 minute treatments and I have further improved my abdominal strength with exercise and Hypopressives. This literally saved me several thousand pounds for a private operation as well as the massive challenge of having stomach surgery whilst trying to look after a toddler! Tracey was incredibly pro-active in resolving this for me and I am incredibly grateful.
Overall the treatment and care I received from Tracey was comprehensive and effective. She is hugely professional, but also warm and funny. I would absolutely recommend that anyone who has had a baby sees Tracey as a matter of course for the help they need and for the help that they may not know that they need!”
Book your appointment today or or get in touch with us to chat more about how we can help.
