DIANE J. BUCKMAN, PT
MYOFASCIAL RELEASE / CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY

Diane received her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Russell Sage College in 1985. Since that time she has worked in a variety of settings with orthopedic, dental, and neurological clients. Beginning in 1992, she focused her continuing education training in Myofascial Release, Craniosacral Therapy, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage. With nearly 15 years of experience in her specialty areas, Diane opened her own private practice in Auburn, CA in 2004. In her practice Diane provides an alternative to the traditional physical therapy setting by focusing on soft tissue release approaches that are holistic and that take into account the body/mind/spirit connection. It is Diane’s goal to create a place where the clients feel safe to experience true healing and to learn about themselves with effective facilitation. Each client receives an individualized treatment program, with an hour of soft tissue work.

In addition to individualized soft tissue release techniques Diane provides her clients with home programs of stretching, strengthening, and positioning exercises. She also provides education in posture, body mechanics, and further injury prevention techniques.

TESTIMONIALS:

“ My 4 month old son was constantly crying when awake. Diane spent just 15 minutes with him. His little body unwound, hit a still point, and he quieted down. He is a new baby, only fussy when hungry, wet, or tired. She has saved my sanity.”
Becky Stonestreet

“I had a stroke following an auto accident 9 years ago. I’’ve been through every type of treatment available, and MFR has been the most successful for me.”
Milissa Louwaert

“I had my wisdom teeth pulled, and began experiencing nausea and vomiting, which progressed to low back pain. Diane saw me for an hour. My low back pain was gone, and the nausea subsided within 30 minutes of treatment.”
Shadia McAnally

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE:

What is fascia?
Fascia (also called connective tissue) surrounds every cell, encompasses each organ, and separates body cavities (such as the chest from the abdomen). Thus it is part of and has influence upon every other system of the body, including the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, and cardiopulmonary system. It is composed of two fiber types: A) collagenous fibers, which are very tough and have little stretch ability and B) elastic fibers, which are stretchable. From a functional standpoint, the fascia may be regarded as a continuous, laminated sheet of connective tissue that extends without interruption from the top of the head to the tip of the toes.

Fascial injury
Following injury, inflammation, disease, and surgery there is a scaring and hardening of the fascia. Because the fascia is so entwined throughout the body, a tightening in one area of the body causes tension on adjacent structures. These tensions can produce tensile pressures of approximately 2,000 pounds per square inch. Even if it doesn’t immediately create a tension on a pain-sensitive structure, a person may still feel a tension, a crookedness of their alignment, or a limitation in their normal joint motion. As the tightness progresses with time, bizarre and “unexplainable”, seemingly unrelated pain patterns may occur. And they may seem to shift from place to place in the body, baffling both the patient and the Western medical system. Fascial restrictions do not appear on X-rays, myelograms, CAT scans, or electromyography.

Myofascial release is a whole-body, hands-on, gentle, sustained-pressure technique. There is a large variety of individual releases (hands in different placements on the body, varying pressures, varying direction of pressure etc.) within the entire technique. The key to success with myofascial release is the appropriate amount of pressure, in the correct direction, held long enough for elastic fibers to relax, allowing for the tougher collagenous fibers to elongate. A Barnes-trained therapist has skilled and sensitive hands, which can feel not only the tensions, but also their release. Muscle provides the greatest bulk of our body’s soft tissue, thus the technique is named “myo” = muscle + fascia.

TYPICAL TREATMENT RESULTS
In general, acute cases will resolve with just a few treatments. Chronic cases may require 3-4 months of treatment. Remember that with time, the body has made adjustments and these must all be reversed.

Sometimes there is immediate decrease in pain, improvement in motion/balance/ posture etc. But some people will experience an increase in their symptoms for a few hours to a day and then have a marked improvement in their symptoms. This may be attributed to release of trapped metabolic waste products into the blood stream. It is important, therefore, to increase your water intake to “flush your system”.

Others may experience light-headedness or dizziness. These can be attributed to release of tightness around vascular system tissues, such as the jugular vein in the neck. Some may experience nausea, blurry vision, ringing in the ears, dry mouth – or cessation of these feelings, due to changes in the tension on and around the cranial nerves.

Occasionally, clients may also feel a temporary emotional change during or after treatment. It is believed that emotions from the time of the injury can become trapped in the tissue. When the tissue is released, these emotions too will be released.

By and large, the majority of clients leave the treatments with a lighter, freer feeling which they cannot put into words. Most say things like: “I wish that I had found you sooner” or “I haven’t felt this good in years.”

Who is John F. Barnes?
John F. Barnes is a Physical Therapist with over 30 years experience teaching Myofascial Release. He developed the technique after receiving conventional therapy for a back injury, with poor results. He has had success treating a multitude of diagnoses: spine pain, chronic pain, headaches, TMJ, Carpal Tunnel, fibromyalgia, spasms/ spasticity, scoliosis, CVA (Cerebro-Vascular Accident), sports injuries, restrictions in ROM (range of motion), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, head trauma, and neurological dysfunction. The techniques are safe for all age groups from pediatrics to geriatrics. John is owner of the Myofascial Release Treatment Centers in Sedona, AZ and Paoli, PA. He also presents seminars across the United States and Canada. (Information taken from John F. Barnes' brochure.)

If you would like more information on the technique visit:
www.myofascialrelease.com  or call  1-800-fascial

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY:

What is the CranioSacral system? The CranioSacral system consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. It extends from the bones of the skull, face, and mouth, which make up the cranium, down to the sacrum, or tailbone area. This vital system influences the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord. Restrictions and imbalances in tissue-tension could potentially cause any number of sensory, motor, or neurological disabilities - creating mobility, health, and learning challenges.

How is CranioSacral therapy performed?
CranioSacral therapy is performed on a person who is fully clothed. Using a light touch, generally no more than 5 grams of pressure, the practitioner monitors the rhythm of the CranioSacral system to detect potential restrictions and imbalances. The therapist then uses delicate, manual techniques to release those problem areas and relieve undue pressure on the brain and spinal cord. A treatment session can last from 15 minutes to greater than an hour. In some cases the initial evaluation alone is enough to correct the problem. The result? A central nervous system free of restrictions and a body that is able to return to its greatest level of performance.

Who can perform craniosacral therapy?
Because of its positive effect on so many body functions, CranioSacral therapy is practiced by a wide variety of healthcare professionals. They include: Osteopathic Physicians, Allopathic Physicians, Naturopathic Physicians, Doctors of Oriental Medicine, Chiropractors, Nurses, Psychiatric Specialists, Psychologists, Dentists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists, and other professional body workers. Merely ask if your practitioner has taken training from The Upledger Institute in CranioSacral Therapy.

What conditions does CranioSacral therapy address?
CranioSacral Therapy strengthens your body’s ability to take better care of you. It helps alleviate a range of illnesses, pain, and dysfunction, including:

• Migraines & Headaches
• Chronic Neck & Back Pain
• Motor Coordination Impairments
• Stress & Tension Related Problems
• Infantile Disorders
• Traumatic Brain & Spinal Cord Injuries
• Chronic Fatigue
• Scoliosis
• Central Nervous System Disorders
• Emotional Difficulties
• Temperomandibular Joint Dysfunction
• Learning Disabilities
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Orthopedic Problems
• And Many Other Conditions

How did CranioSacral therapy begin?
In the ‘70’s, Osteopathic Physician John Upledger first witnessed the rhythmic movement of the CranioSacral system during a spinal surgery. Yet none of his colleagues or medical texts could explain the phenomenon he had seen.

Through the work of Dr. William Sutherland, Dr. Upledger learned that the bones of the skull were not fused, as he had been taught in medical school. Putting these two pieces of information together, Dr. Upledger theorized that a hydraulic system of sorts was functioning inside the CranioSacral system. He then set out to confirm his theory.

In 1975, he joined the Osteopathic College at Michigan State University as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. There he led a team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists, and engineers to test and document the influence of therapy on the CranioSacral system. For the first time they were able to explain the function of the CranioSacral system, and demonstrate how light-touch therapy could be used to evaluate and treat malfunctions involving the brain and spinal cord.

In 1985, Dr. Upledger established the Upledger Institute to teach the public and healthcare providers the benefits of CranioSacral Therapy. He also began training the many healthcare practitioners who now perform CranioSacral Therapy.

What is SomatoEmotional release?
Have you ever had a physical injury that seemed to plague you long after the site had healed? That is not as unusual as you might think. Even when Craniosacral Therapy releases restrictions in the body tissues, a release of emotional energy might be necessary to fully discharge a trauma.

In those cases, the CranioSacral Therapist may gently encourage a somato-emotional release. Research conducted in the late ‘70’s by Dr John Upledger and biophysicist Zvi Karni led to the discovery that the body often retains the emotional imprint of physical trauma. These imprints, especially of intense feelings that may have occurred at the time of injury - such as anger, fear, or resentment - leave residues in the body in areas called “energy cysts”.

Although one can adapt to “energy cysts”, over time the body needs extra energy to continue performing its day-to-day functions. Then, as years pass and the body becomes more stressed, it can lose its ability to adapt. That is when symptoms and dysfunctions begin to appear and become difficult to suppress or ignore.

Through SomatoEmotional Release, the therapist engages in imaging and dialoguing techniques that can guide the client through an otherwise challenging encounter with long-held emotions. The client does not need to analyze the problem to release it. Often the body will spontaneously return to the position it was in when the injury occurred. As this takes place, the therapist can feel the tissues of the body relax as the energy cyst is expelled. Then the body is free to return to its optimal levels of functioning. (Information taken from Upledger Institute)

If you would like more information on the technique The Upledger Institute visit: www.iahp.com  or call: 1-561-622-4334

MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE:

What is the lymphatic system?
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels and lymph nodes through which lymph fluid travels from the body’s tissues back into the cardiac system near the heart. This unidirectional system (unlike the circulatory system that has arteries moving blood away from the heart and veins moving blood toward the heart) has many functions. It helps to maintain the blood volume and blood pressure; cleans the connective tissues of viruses, dead cells, dust, and large particles that do not fit into the veins; assists in the return of proteins back into the circulatory system; and moves T-lymphocytes through the body, boosting our immunity.

What is manual lymphatic drainage?
Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a pressure-accurate, lymph-flow-directional, sequential soft tissue technique. It acts to stimulate the smooth muscles of the body – in the walls of the lymph vessels, in the walls of the blood vessels, and in the intestinal walls of the digestive system – creating an increase in flow in the given area stimulated. It also affects the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing for a decrease in pain and an increase in relaxation. It increases resorption at the venous end of the capillary, allowing for a decrease in the edema of the connective tissue. Lastly, it may have an affect on the immunological response: with the increase in the flow of the lymph fluid, the T-lymphocytes and lymphokines in the lymph fluid have a greater chance of contacting and interacting with antigens.

What types of injuries and illnesses can manual lymphatic drainage help?
In a “healthy” person, this technique can be used for detoxification of the body tissues, decreasing pain, and increasing relaxation. Any orthopedic or neurological disorder that has edema or pain can be addressed: sprains, strains, amputations, dislocations, hematomas, post-surgery, extremity swelling after a stroke/spinal cord injury/head injury. The technique can assist with cleansing for acne and healing of open wounds by removing the by-products of the healing from the surrounding tissues. Fully certified therapist can work with lymphedema clients after removal of part of the lymphatic system, such as occurs in most cancer-removal surgeries.

• acute infection
• deep vein thrombosis
• edema from cardiac insufficiency
• active malignant disease
• hyperthyroidism
• low blood pressure

Is there special training to provide manual lymphatic drainage?
To obtain the full certification in the Vodder Method of manual lymphatic drainage, there is a 4 week course of instruction. One must be a Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Nurse, Doctor, Chiropractor, or Massage Therapist. For Estheticians there is an abbreviated, 1 week course. Any therapist may choose to stop their training after a particular level, depending upon their type of practice. The first week teaches the normal lymphatic system. The second week teaches specialized joint and edema techniques for the orthopedic/neurological populations. The third and fourth weeks are combined, teaching the abnormal lymphatic system such as after a cancer surgery. It teaches alternate pathways for movement of lymph fluid, so as to shunt the fluid out of the affected limb. It also covers European bandaging techniques, use of compression garments, discussion of sequential gradient pumps, lymphatic exercises, and reimbursement issues.

What is the history of manual lymphatic drainage?
Emil and Estrid Vodder, Physical Therapists from Denmark, founded the Vodder Institute in Copenhagen, during World War II. They initially began treating clients with upper respiratory tract problems, though through the years they made adaptations and have expanded to treat a large variety of disorders. The Vodder Institute was taken over by the Wittlingers, their protégés, and is now located in Walchsee, Austria. There is also a North American branch in British Columbia, Canada, run by Robert Harris. Over the years there have been offshoots of the technique: The Foldi Method from Germany and the Casley-Smith Method from Australia.

For further information on manual lymphatic drainage please contact:

Robert Harris CMT
Dr. Vodder School - North America
PO Box 5701, Victoria, British Columbia, V8R 6S8
Tel: (250) 598-9862  Fax: (250) 598-9841
www.vodderschool.com