Dorn method
Encyclopedia
The Dorn method is a form of manual, holistic alternative therapy
used to correct claimed misalignments in the spinal column
and other joint
s. In its theoretical approach, it is somewhat related to chiropractic
and osteopathy
, although it is different in its practical application. It was developed in the 1970s by the German
lay-healer Dieter Dorn.
Early students of Dorn, like Helmuth Koch (who coined the name Dornmethode), Hildegard Steinhauser, Harald Fleig and others, started to teach the method in the 1990s, enabling its use to spread through Germany, Austria
and Switzerland
. According to its founder's wish, the Dorn method should become a kind of folk medicine
, free from trademark or copyright so that anyone may access it.
Dorn uses a non-manipulative approach to correct such problems. Corrections of joint or spinal cord misalignments are done in a 'dynamic', moving action. According to Dorn, our muscle
s always try to hold the positions of the joints and spine, and when they are out of order the muscles assume this 'wrong' position as the correct one and hold it there. Dorn proponents maintain that a static correction, such as that used in chiropractic therapy, is difficult because it needs to overcome the strength of the holding muscles, and because the patient is often tense since the treatment is done 'on' him and not 'with' him.
The Dorn method therefore uses motion to divert the muscles' tension, and in this relaxed state it is apparently possible to realign the bones.
During a treatment, the practitioner palpates the patient's spine. If any 'unbalanced' areas are found, possible underlying misalignments are treated with gentle pressure using the thumb or hand against the spinous process
es, while the patient enacts guided movements such as swinging the leg or arms to distract the muscles' inertia; this is similar to the principle of mechanics known as 'counter pressure'. In case of pain, the patient is advised to stop the procedure in order to avoid any damage to the body.
Patients often report positive results immediately after treatment. Afterwards, they learn specially designed self-help exercises that simulate the 'corrections' made during the treatment.
and human anatomy
and applied through cooperation between the practitioner and patient. The therapy is not done on the patient but rather with the patient, who is in control during its application.
Proponents believe that the human skeleton
should be "symmetrical", "harmonic" and in a "static-dynamic alignment equilibrium". When we "upset" this "bone order" then our joints may be moved out of place, especially in the spine. Conventional medicine supposedly offers over-complicated explanations and solutions for such problems, and unnecessarily leads to operations or the requirement to use special shoes or insoles.
The therapy's popularity has increased due to exposure on the Internet, the increasing number of authorised teachers, and word of mouth from successfully treated patients. In addition, Dorn Congresses are held regularly in Germany, and the first congress in Switzerland was held in 2006. These meetings were initially organized by Koch and Steinhauser, and are now arranged by a team of Dorn method teachers.
Many Dorn Method Practitioners who are also Mainstream Health Professionals propose some regulatory guidelines to be established that at the same time allow the Dorn Method to stay free of strict regulations and freely accessible for people seeking self help possibilities.
Research was done to study the effect of the Dorntherapy on Tinnitus Patients.
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
used to correct claimed misalignments in the spinal column
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
and other joint
Joint
A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact. They are constructed to allow movement and provide mechanical support, and are classified structurally and functionally.-Classification:...
s. In its theoretical approach, it is somewhat related to chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
and osteopathy
Osteopathy
Osteopathy and osteopathic medicine are often used interchangeably for the philosophy and system of alternative medical practice first proposed by A. T. Still MD, DO in 1874....
, although it is different in its practical application. It was developed in the 1970s by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
lay-healer Dieter Dorn.
Early students of Dorn, like Helmuth Koch (who coined the name Dornmethode), Hildegard Steinhauser, Harald Fleig and others, started to teach the method in the 1990s, enabling its use to spread through Germany, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. According to its founder's wish, the Dorn method should become a kind of folk medicine
Folk medicine
-Description:Refers to healing practices and ideas of body physiology and health preservation known to a limited segment of the population in a culture, transmitted informally as general knowledge, and practiced or applied by anyone in the culture having prior experience.All cultures and societies...
, free from trademark or copyright so that anyone may access it.
The method
The Dorn method is based on the correction of uneven leg length, which, according to Dorn, can be diagnosed in almost every human. Because of that, the pelvis is said to become twisted, and this can supposedly result in an asymmetrical, crooked or displaced spinal column.Dorn uses a non-manipulative approach to correct such problems. Corrections of joint or spinal cord misalignments are done in a 'dynamic', moving action. According to Dorn, our muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
s always try to hold the positions of the joints and spine, and when they are out of order the muscles assume this 'wrong' position as the correct one and hold it there. Dorn proponents maintain that a static correction, such as that used in chiropractic therapy, is difficult because it needs to overcome the strength of the holding muscles, and because the patient is often tense since the treatment is done 'on' him and not 'with' him.
The Dorn method therefore uses motion to divert the muscles' tension, and in this relaxed state it is apparently possible to realign the bones.
During a treatment, the practitioner palpates the patient's spine. If any 'unbalanced' areas are found, possible underlying misalignments are treated with gentle pressure using the thumb or hand against the spinous process
Spinous process
The spinous process of a vertebra is directed backward and downward from the junction of the laminae , and serves for the attachment of muscles and ligaments. In animals without an erect stance, the process points upward and may slant forward or backward...
es, while the patient enacts guided movements such as swinging the leg or arms to distract the muscles' inertia; this is similar to the principle of mechanics known as 'counter pressure'. In case of pain, the patient is advised to stop the procedure in order to avoid any damage to the body.
Patients often report positive results immediately after treatment. Afterwards, they learn specially designed self-help exercises that simulate the 'corrections' made during the treatment.
Reasoning behind the method
Proponents of the Dorn method claim that it is based on simple laws of physicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and human anatomy
Human anatomy
Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the human body. Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of anatomical structures that can be seen by the naked eye...
and applied through cooperation between the practitioner and patient. The therapy is not done on the patient but rather with the patient, who is in control during its application.
Proponents believe that the human skeleton
Human skeleton
The human skeleton consists of both fused and individual bones supported and supplemented by ligaments, tendons, muscles and cartilage. It serves as a scaffold which supports organs, anchors muscles, and protects organs such as the brain, lungs and heart....
should be "symmetrical", "harmonic" and in a "static-dynamic alignment equilibrium". When we "upset" this "bone order" then our joints may be moved out of place, especially in the spine. Conventional medicine supposedly offers over-complicated explanations and solutions for such problems, and unnecessarily leads to operations or the requirement to use special shoes or insoles.
Dissemination
An independent group of Dorn method specialists and seminar lecturers, most early students of Dorn, established basic rules and regulations for the method, alongside an official Dorn therapist and teacher listing called the Aurum List. This was first succeeded by the Dornforum, and in 2006 by the Dornfinder. There are about 130 authorized teachers listed and more than 1,500 therapists in more than 20 countries around the world.The therapy's popularity has increased due to exposure on the Internet, the increasing number of authorised teachers, and word of mouth from successfully treated patients. In addition, Dorn Congresses are held regularly in Germany, and the first congress in Switzerland was held in 2006. These meetings were initially organized by Koch and Steinhauser, and are now arranged by a team of Dorn method teachers.
Critics
The Dorn Method is not yet accepted by Mainstream Medicine due to the lack of independent scientific research. The Dorn Method’s short learning period, usually done in weekend workshops, is often regarded as insufficient from the Medical Profession and many claims made by Dorn Method Practitioners are not verified by anatomical and physiological science. The Dorn Method applied as Manual Therapy is regarded as therapeutic intervention and as the domain of accepted medical procedures which does not suit the main principles of the Dorn Method that regards the therapy part as secondary and the educational part for prevention and self therapy as the primary important factor.Many Dorn Method Practitioners who are also Mainstream Health Professionals propose some regulatory guidelines to be established that at the same time allow the Dorn Method to stay free of strict regulations and freely accessible for people seeking self help possibilities.
Research was done to study the effect of the Dorntherapy on Tinnitus Patients.
Sources
- Dieter Dorn. Die ganzheitliche Methode Dorn. Integral, München 2007. ISBN 978-3-7787-9184-4
- Helmuth Koch, Hildegard Steinhauser: Die Dorn-Therapie. Grundlagen und praktische Durchführung. 3. Auflage, Augsburg : Foitzick 2008. ISBN 978-3-929338-40-9