The osteopathic profession subscribes to the following tenets (Foundations for Osteopathic Medicine, 2
ed, pg. 5, Table 1.1):
Diagnostic Element |
Characteristics of Acute Condition |
Characteristics of Chronic Condition |
History |
Recent injury |
Long-standing condition |
Tissue Texture Changes |
Hypertonic muscles, muscle spasms, boggy edema, moist skin |
Decreased muscle tone, dry skin, decreased or no edema, fibrotic and/or ropy tissues |
Asymmetry |
Present |
Present with compensation in other parts of the body |
Restriction |
Present, painful with movement, sluggish quality |
Present, decreased or no pain, normal quality within the range that remains |
Tenderness |
Severe, sharp, minimal evidence of somato-visceral effects |
Dull, achy, burning, evidence of somato-visceral effects |