What is osteopathic manipulative treatment?
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) is a hands-on therapeutic approach used by Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) physicians to diagnose and treat structural and functional problems in the musculoskeletal system. Rather than relying solely on medications or imaging, OMT practitioners use their hands to identify restrictions in joints, muscles, and connective tissue · and then apply precise, gentle techniques to restore normal motion and reduce pain. The philosophy is rooted in the understanding that the body's systems are interconnected, and that structural health directly influences overall wellness.
At the core of OMT practice is the concept of Somatic Dysfunction · a term that describes impaired or altered function of the body's framework, including the skeleton, joints, fascia, and associated vascular, lymphatic, and neural elements. Somatic Dysfunction is often the biomechanical source of chronic musculoskeletal pain that does not show up on lab work or conventional imaging. Patients who have seen specialists, tried medications, and still can't find relief are frequently excellent candidates for OMT evaluation.
VCOM faculty expertise at your appointment.
APAM's OMT program is anchored by Dr. Kevin Hayes, DO · board-certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (AOBNMM), and the OMM Chair at VCOM-Auburn. Dr. Hayes trained at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a double residency in NMM and Family Medicine at the University of Michigan Health West. He practices at our Devall Drive location and brings decades of specialized expertise to every patient encounter. Dr. Phillip Snider, DO, MS, RD · a former personal trainer and registered dietitian before medical school · also provides OMT with a particular focus on headaches, TMJ, plantar fasciitis, and dry needling techniques.
OMT is appropriate for patients of all ages. Dr. Hayes regularly treats newborns, infants, children, working adults, and elderly patients · adapting technique to what is appropriate for each body and each complaint. The same gentle skill that relieves a nursing infant's latching difficulty can address a decades-old hip restriction in an 80-year-old. If you have been told to "just live with it," OMT may offer a path forward that has not yet been explored.
Conditions treated with OMT.
- Low back pain · acute and chronic
- Neck pain and cervical dysfunction
- Headaches and migraines · cervicogenic and tension-type
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Sciatica and radiculopathy
- Shoulder pain · rotator cuff, impingement, frozen shoulder
- Hip and knee pain · osteoarthritic and mechanical
- Rib dysfunction and thoracic pain
- TMJ pain and jaw dysfunction
- Plantar fasciitis and foot pain
- Infant colic, feeding difficulties, and cranial strain
- Post-surgical and post-injury rehabilitation
- Lymphatic dysfunction and immune support