Fascial Counterstrain: The New Frontier

is the current frontier of Osteopathy; it’s an approach where enormous advancements have occurred in how we diagnose and treat people.

Classical Counterstrain Origins

The original form of “Classical” Counterstrain was developed by Dr Lawrence Jones, an American Osteopathic physician. He identified several hundred tender points on the body that correlated with specific dysfunctional patterns. His treatment involved placing the patient’s body into a unique position of comfort, specific to the tender point. Within minutes, he could successfully treat a long-standing problem or acute injury. Dr Jones always maintained that his system was incomplete and could be expanded upon.

Expanding the Approach in the 1990s

In the 1990s, Brian Tuckey—one of Dr Jones’ personal students—quickly mastered the approach. He actively explored new areas and concepts, discovering that non-musculoskeletal tissues such as organs, arteries, veins, lymphatics, adipose tissue, the brain, and the autonomic nervous system could also produce diagnostic tender points. He consistently found that illness, postural strain, and injury rarely affect only one system. For example, a prolapsed disc involves the disc itself, surrounding musculoskeletal tissues, a vascular response, and sympathetic nervous sensitisation. Chronic situations may persist because unidentified components remain active.