SOLCORE FITNESS

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OMT: Osteopathic Manual Therapy

Welcome! If you’re tired of seeing the same manual therapist without real progress—or if you’re frustrated by insurance restrictions and cookie-cutter exercise handouts—you’re in the right place. Osteopathic Manual Therapy (OMT) takes a holistic approach to how the body is designed to work, using hundreds of treatment methods tailored to you. We don’t take insurance, which means we’re free to focus on your needs rather than an insurance company’s checklist.

This page is here to give you a better idea of how to put it all together. We’ll lay out a detailed overview that will give you a better idea of how to look at what you need and what questions to start asking. You can then take this information and use the links on the page to reach out for help or dig deeper into understanding more about the best, most sustainable way to work with your body.

In this article you can go down the rabbit hole of the best way to use OMT: Osteopathic Manual Therapy. Start at the beginning and read it through, or use one of the titles below to jump to a section.

Enjoy!

Table Of Contents

What is Osteopathy?

What the heck is Osteopathic Manual Therapy?

How is this different than Physical therapy, Chiropractic and Massage Therapy?

Do You Do Adjustments?

Do You Take Insurance?

What are your Osteopathic Manual Therapy sessions like?

How Often Should I come In For My OMT?

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a holistic approach to the body—viewing it as a single, interconnected system that includes physical structures, personality, and values. It differs from Osteopathic Medicine (practiced by DOs in the U.S.) in that it relies on hands-on, soft-tissue-focused treatments within a holistic framework rather than a traditional Western medical model.

Key Principle:

  • Structure dictates function, and function dictates structure.
    This means your posture and alignment affect how your body works, and how your body works affects your alignment.

Osteopathy was founded by Andrew Taylor Still in 1874, with further contributions from practitioners like Littlejohn, Stoddard, Barral, and Guy Voyer. Our owner, Ekemba Sooh, studied with Barral and Voyer for 16 years.

Why pair OMT with a holistic exercise and fitness program?
They share the same philosophy of putting your body in better posture so it can heal and function at its best. Think of Osteopathy as the trunk of a tree, and its many specialized treatments (including our exercise programs) as branches. Everything works under one unified system, making it far more effective than piecing together different “puzzles” from unrelated methods.

Osteopathic Manual Therapy

What the heck is Osteopathic Manual Therapy?

OMT is a hands-on treatment designed to bring your body’s soft tissues (muscles, fascia, ligaments, and more) back to a healthy, balanced state—what we call “normalizing” the tissues. This differs from Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, which is performed by Osteopathic Medical Doctors (DOs) and often involves joint manipulations (“adjustments”). We don’t do those.

Why Focus on Soft Tissues?

Soft tissues determine your posture. When posture is off, function is off—leading to discomfort, poor movement, or even injury. By carefully working on fascia and other tissues, we:

  • Restore normal flow of fluids (blood, lymph, etc.) to promote healing.
  • “Turn on” underactive areas that need more stability or strength.
  • Calm down overactive areas that cause pain or restrict movement.

This targeted approach addresses issues that exercise alone might not fix. But exercise is still crucial: without retraining your body to hold the new alignment, you’ll eventually drift back to old patterns.

How is this different than Physical therapy, Chiropractic and Massage Therapy?

Physical Therapy

  • Typical PT Goal: Restore basic functions (e.g., brushing teeth, walking) according to insurance guidelines.
  • OMT Goal: Achieve full, balanced function so you can live life on your terms.
  • Insurance Limitations: PTs who bill insurance must follow strict protocols, which can limit what they can treat.
  • Schooling & Protocols: Most PT programs teach standardized methods focusing on classical biomechanics. While valuable, this can be limiting if you need a more holistic, adaptive approach.

Chiropractic

  • Chiropractic Focus: Manipulating the spine to correct misalignments.
  • OMT Focus: Balancing soft tissues so bones often realign themselves naturally.
  • Why Soft Tissue Matters: Fascia and other tissues ultimately dictate bone and joint position. If these tissues remain imbalanced, your spine may slip back out of alignment.

Massage Therapy

  • Massage Goal: Relax or stimulate soft tissues, often reducing tension and stress.
  • OMT Goal: Precisely address the specific tissues (e.g., fascia, ligaments) that need attention, which can be very different from a general relaxation or deep-tissue approach.
  • Injury Considerations: Certain injuries need targeted techniques. For example, if a specific ligament is pinching a nerve in your mid-back, a general back massage could worsen it, whereas OMT pinpoints and treats that ligament carefully.

In Summary:

  • Each modality (PT, chiropractic, massage) has its strengths.
  • OMT is unique in its comprehensive, hands-on approach that focuses on the interplay of all soft tissues.
  • We pair manual therapy with specific exercises and stretches to maintain improvements and reduce the need for frequent ongoing treatments.

Do you do adjustments?​

Short Answer: No.
We don’t manually “pop” or manipulate joints. Instead, we work with the soft tissue so bones often move back into proper alignment naturally. Osteopathy believes the body can heal itself if given the right environment—our treatments, stretches, and exercises are designed to create that environment.

Do You Take Insurance?

No.
In New Mexico, our services fall under the Health Freedom Act. We’re legally allowed to perform OMT with our degrees and certifications as long as we don’t represent ourselves as physicians (which we don’t). Because of these rules, we cannot bill insurance.

What are your Osteopathic Manual Therapy sessions like?

  • Session Length: Each session lasts 45 minutes.
  • First-Time Clients: You’ll schedule two sessions initially. During these, we’ll conduct a thorough assessment (including posture and SI joint testing, health questions, and possibly cardio/strength testing). We’ll follow that with hands-on treatment and exercises.
  • Homework: You’ll always get personalized homework (stretches, exercises) supported by short videos you can review for 30 days. If you continue private sessions, the videos remain in your member portal.
  • Scheduling: These two initial sessions ideally happen back-to-back (for a 90-minute block). If that’s not possible, we’ll schedule them close together.
  • Cancellation Policy: We require 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule. Otherwise, you will be charged for the missed session.

How Often Should I come In For My OMT?

Our aim is to see you as little as possible while still resolving your issues. We want you to get better and stay better, not become dependent on weekly appointments.

  • Initial Phase: Expect to come more frequently in the beginning—possibly once a week for a short period—especially if you’ve had an issue for months or years.
  • Maintenance: Once you reach a good place, a monthly visit can help you stay ahead of life’s wear and tear.

Where Do You Go from Here?

If you’re ready to move on from endless appointments that don’t yield results and want a stronger, more balanced body, we’re here to help. At SolCore Fitness & Therapy, we combine manual therapy and exercise under one roof, so you can:

  1. Receive precise soft tissue work to normalize posture and balance.
  2. Learn targeted stretches and exercises to reinforce and maintain those changes.

This holistic approach helps you address the root causes of pain or dysfunction, prevents recurrence, and empowers you to stay active in the activities you love.

Ready to get started?
Reach out through the links on this page to learn more about how OMT can work for you, or dive deeper into the articles and videos we’ve provided. Here’s to a stronger, better-postured, more mobile you!

The Ultimate Guide For A Holistic Exercise And Fitness Program

Your Next Steps. Use A Holistic Exercise And Fitness Routine With  Expert Coaching In Our Services

  • Private Sessions: Get one-on-one support to pinpoint and fix those weak links.
  • Group Classes: Train in a supportive environment that still respects individual needs.
  • Online Programs: Perfect if you’re juggling a busy schedule or live outside our area.

We’d love to help you write the next chapter of your fitness journey—one that’s free of pain, packed with energy, and brimming with confidence.

Ready to get started?

Contact us or explore our programs to learn more.

Because, hey, your body is worth it.

Private Training And Manual Therapy
Group Exercise Classes
Online Training And Program