This technique was developed by a French osteopath, Jean-Pierre Barr, based on his observations.
"The aim of visceral manipulation is to recreate, harmonise and enhance the body's communication in order to increase the well-being of the body's internal mechanism."
It is a form of manual therapy that uses gentle manual force applied in a specific way to support the standard mobility, tone and associated tissue movement of the viscera, the connective tissues and areas of the body where they are damaged.
.................................................................................................................
Mobility: visceral mobility is the movement of the viscera in response to external forces. Voluntary or spontaneous movements such as the diaphragm during breathing or the heartbeat create the external forces that pull and push organs.
..................................................................................................................
Movement is a sign of life. Everything constantly moves in the universe. Everything moves in space and time, and man is no exception. Our bodies need movement to be healthy and the same holds true for every single structure of the body, including the internal organs. For an organ to be healthy and function ideally, it needs movement.
For the viscera to function properly, all organs need to be able to move freely relative to each other. If there is a block, an attachment or adhesion to another formula, no matter how small, it will lead to the malfunction of the organ. These blockages will also result in symptoms elsewhere in the body, seemingly unrelated to the root cause of the problem. In many cases, a visceral lesion may lie behind neck, back or waist pain or even poor posture.
It is by releasing the primary tissue blockages (not by treating the symptoms) that the areas of reduced/altered movement can be truly treated, and hence restored to a better physiological movement, which in turn improves the function of the organ.
Thanks to the self-correcting powers of the body, you can feel the effects of a treatment even after several days and weeks.
Reference: Visceral Manipulation (Revised Edition) – Jean-Pierre Barral & Pierre Mercier, Visceral Manipulation II – Jean-Pierre Barral