Understand the terms
A lexicon of terms you may encounter in consultation or in my articles. Each definition is written in plain language, meant for patients rather than specialists.
Muscle soreness appearing 24-48h after exercise.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness — soreness caused by micro-damage from eccentric contractions. Normal after intense or novel effort. Not required for progress: hypertrophy and strength can advance without them.
Post-exercise period of enhanced nutrient uptake.
For 30 to 60 minutes after intense effort, muscle is especially receptive to carbs and protein. Combining both (around 3:1 carbs:protein) speeds glycogen resynthesis and muscle rebuilding. Crucial for athletes in training.
Manual medicine that treats mobility restrictions in the body.
Osteopathy is a therapeutic approach founded in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still. It rests on the principle that structure and function are interdependent: by restoring tissue mobility (joints, muscles, fascia, organs, cranial membranes), the body recovers its ability to self-regulate.
Osteopathy adapted to infants and children.
Very gentle techniques (pressures equivalent to the weight of a coin) adapted to the developing body. Indications: colic, plagiocephaly, congenital torticollis, sleep issues, recurrent ear infections. Sessions last 30-45 minutes.
Osteopathic care during pregnancy and postpartum.
Relieves lower back pain, pregnancy sciatica, pubic pain (SPD), nausea and reflux during pregnancy. Postpartum: work on the pelvis, sacrum, caesarean or episiotomy scar. Adapted techniques, no high-velocity manipulation.
Maximal oxygen uptake.
A key aerobic fitness marker. Measures the maximum volume of oxygen (mL/kg/min) the body can consume during effort. Developed through high-intensity intervals combined with a large volume of Zone 1 (base endurance).
Very gentle work on cranial membranes and the sacrum.
A subtle osteopathic approach developed by William Sutherland, based on the rhythmic mobility of the cranial bones and sacrum (6 to 12 cycles/min) via the dural membranes. Well suited for stress, migraines, infants and post-trauma conditions.
Suction cups applied to the skin.
An ancient therapy using suction to release fascial adhesions, stimulate circulation and ease tension. The temporary circular marks are not bruises but superficial blood stasis that fades in 3 to 7 days.
Inserting thin needles into muscular trigger points.
A technique that inserts thin filiform needles into deep tension points (trigger points) to trigger a reflex release. Not to be confused with acupuncture: dry needling is rooted in anatomy and neurophysiology, not energetic meridians.
High-velocity, low-amplitude joint manipulation.
High Velocity Low Amplitude: a brief, precise impulse on a joint under tension. May produce a characteristic 'crack' (release of intra-articular gas). Not painful when done properly. Contraindicated in severe osteoporosis, pregnancy and infants.
Very gentle massage stimulating lymph flow.
A manual technique developed by Emil Vodder in the 1930s. Pressures are very light (30-40 g/cm²) and slow, respecting lymph's natural pace. Used post-op, during pregnancy, for chronic oedema and wellness.
Manual work on internal organs.
An approach developed by Jean-Pierre Barral. Each organ is wrapped in fascia and must be able to move with breathing and motion. Visceral restrictions can maintain lower back pain, digestive, gynaecological or respiratory complaints.
Main respiratory muscle, separates thorax and abdomen.
A dome-shaped muscle that contracts on inhalation and relaxes on exhalation. Key role in venous return, digestion and stress management. Diaphragmatic tension is often involved in reflux, lower back pain and chronic stress.
Connective tissue linking all body structures.
A continuous network of connective tissue wrapping muscles, bones, vessels, nerves and organs. Long underestimated, it's now recognised as a structure in its own right, with sensitivity and contractile capacity. Its maintenance is essential for global mobility.
Work on muscle and its sheath (fascia).
Fascia is a connective tissue that wraps each muscle and links them together. When it loses elasticity or develops adhesions, it limits mobility and maintains pain. Myofascial work uses deep or gliding pressure to restore tissue glide.
Deep gluteal muscle.
An external hip rotator deep in the buttock. The sciatic nerve passes under it (or through it in 15% of people). Its contracture can compress the nerve and cause piriformis syndrome, which mimics sciatica.
Four muscles that stabilise the shoulder.
Made up of supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. Prone to tendinopathy, calcifications and tears, especially in swimmers, throwers and climbers. Osteopathic work restores muscle balance and glenohumeral mobility.
Central bone of the pelvis, at the base of the spine.
A triangular bone formed by the fusion of five sacral vertebrae. Articulates above with the last lumbar (L5), below with the coccyx, and laterally with the ilium via the sacroiliac joints. A key pivot in craniosacral osteopathy.
Intense unexplained crying in infants.
Affect up to 25% of babies. Crying over 3h/day, more than 3 days/week, in an otherwise healthy baby. Osteopathy works on the diaphragm, liver, colon, jugular foramen (vagus nerve) and sacrum to ease digestion.
Pain in the lower back.
Pain in the lumbar region, acute (lumbago) or chronic. 80% of the population experiences it at least once. Common causes: poor posture, sedentary lifestyle, weak transverse abdominis, disc herniation, arthritis. Osteopathy addresses joint and muscle restrictions.
Neck pain.
Pain localised in the cervical spine, often linked to working posture (forward head), stress (trapezius contraction) or trauma (whiplash). Osteopathy treats cervical restrictions, muscle tension and associated cranial tension.
Flattening of one side of an infant's skull.
A common cranial deformation in infants, linked to positional preference or cervical tension (congenital torticollis). Early osteopathic care (before 6 months) is very effective, alongside positioning advice and paediatric follow-up.
Pain radiating along the sciatic nerve.
Pain that starts in the lower back, crosses the buttock and travels down the leg along the sciatic nerve. Common causes: L4-L5 or L5-S1 disc herniation, piriformis syndrome, lumbar arthritis. Treatment combines disc release, piriformis relaxation and postural work.
Tendon suffering.
A generic term for tendon disorders. Rarely purely inflammatory, often degenerative (tendinosis). Common sites: Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff, tennis elbow. Treatment: relative rest, progressive eccentrics, manual techniques, sometimes dry needling.
A painful contracted spot within a muscle.
A nodule of muscle fibres stuck in contraction, painful under pressure and capable of projecting pain at a distance (referred pain). Common in the trapezius, piriformis, psoas, rhomboids. Treated with ischaemic pressure, stretching, dry needling or cupping.