 |
 |
Joan, In a message dated 97-05-27 14:51:37 EDT, you quote me: << Deanne said: "NOTE: There is evidence that too great a degree of neck extension can impinge on blood vessels running through the holes in the vertebrae and cause strokes. Small-boned women past menopause are most frequently at risk for this." and then you write: << Is this true of the "neck stretching" that osteopaths do with almost every treatment? Joan >> Osteopaths are trained to manipulate joints in health-producing ways and are knowledgeable about contra-indicated movements. I think you may be referring to the simple tractioning (pulling the head straight up and away from the body), which does not include extension (bending the neck back) and is designed to increase the spaces between vertebrae for better blood, lymph and nerve signal flow. If there is an osteopath who is putting an osteoporotic person into significant neck extension, s/he should be questioned. Here's to our keeping our heads on straight! Deanne [log in to unmask]