By Lee Jarvis. Proofreading and editing by Genevieve Sauviat.
Brandon Stevens is an Osteopathic Manual Therapist who graduated from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy (CAO), in 2004. To CAO students and graduates, Brandon requires little introduction as his skills and competency are obvious. For those less familiar, he has been a cornerstone of the CAO community, teaching nearly every subject over the years. This teaching experience is in addition to Brandon running a full-time practice and being devoted to the study of Physiology.
Brandon and myself have known each other for quite some time and one of my favourite things to do is ambush him with questions, leaving no time for preparation, and seeing what arises from the depths of his mind. This was a common practice during his classes (circa 2009-2013), when I was a student and I’m sure many students still do the same today. In December 2024, I asked Brandon for a simple explanation of why he knows or believes that Osteopathic Manual Therapy (OMT) is effective. His answer was, “Osteopathy can be demonstrated.” This quality of being “demonstrable”, refers to the ability of a practitioner to effectively demonstrate Osteopathic principles and manual methods directly with a patient.
Brandon offered a comparison, noting that while a medication may be highly effective, its effects are not immediately visible to the naked eye or through the other senses. Typically, a pill is swallowed, travels down the esophagus, undergoes initial processing in the stomach, is absorbed by the small intestine, and circulates through the body via the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems before finally binding to cellular receptors, to stimulate or inhibit their activity. Although the medication’s impact can be demonstrated over time through documentation and specialized testing, it often remains imperceptible in the short term.
When I asked Brandon to clarify his statement by incorporating basic anatomical and physiological concepts, he explained that a key way to understand the effects of OMT, is through the body’s proprioceptors. Proprioception refers to the body’s ability to sense its position, movement, and the tension or length of its tissues. According to Brandon, these proprioceptive receptors are found in large numbers throughout the external body, particularly in muscles, ligaments, tendons, and fascia(s), where they are highly responsive to Osteopathic manual treatment. Even deeper structures, such as joint capsules and articulations, can be influenced by an Osteopathic practitioner using leverage and fixed points.
The body’s proprioceptive system constantly compares and adjusts the positional sense of one body part, relative to another. This process is dynamic and essential, especially when moving across changing terrain or during rapid movements. The body’s remarkable sensitivity to proprioceptive input allows it to respond quickly to physical stimuli, especially when involving potential dangers. Several brain regions, including the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and extra-pyramidal system, are dedicated to continuously monitoring and coordinating movement, ensuring seamless adaptation to changes in position and tension.
While not every movement of the body produces a significant or overt change, there are situations where movement can be beneficial. Demonstrating these benefits is an integral aspect of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment.
I plan to continue to pester Brandon with questions in an ongoing series, at least until he reaches his limit with my persistent curiosity. If that day comes, I’ll be ready to bribe him with coffee and baked goods.