“It was in 1970, during a neck surgery in which he was assisting, that osteopathic physician John E. Upledger first observed the rhythmic movement of what would soon be identified as the craniosacral system. None of his colleagues nor any of the medical texts at the time could explain this discovery, however. His curiosity piqued, Dr. Upledger began searching for the answer. He started with the research of Dr. William Sutherland, the father of cranial osteopathy. For some 20 years beginning in the early 1900s, Sutherland had explored the concept that the bones of the skull were structured to allow for movement. For decades after, this theory remained at odds with the beliefs of the scientific and medical communities. Dr. Upledger believed, however, that if Sutherland’s theory of cranial movement …show more content…
The central nervous system is heavily influenced by the craniosacral system (the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord). Every day our body suffers stresses and strains that it must labor to compensate for. Unfortunately, these variations often cause body tissues to tighten and alter the craniosacral system. These altercations can then cause tightness to form around the brain and spinal cord causing restrictions. This can create a wall to the healthy routine of the central nervous system, and possibly every other system it cooperates with. Fortunately, such restrictions can be detected and fixed with simple methods of touch. With a light touch, the CST practitioner uses their hands to palpate the craniosacral system by lightly feeling various locations of the body to test for the ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord. Soft-touch methods are then used to relieve limitations in any tissues manipulating the craniosacral