Osteopathic Treatment for Those Willing to Do Their Homework
Published: January 24, 2020
Mr. Masaya Kanbe, a qualified osteopath, has very decided views on curing back and muscle related ailments, and that is for any remediation to succeed the patient must be determined to complete the course of treatment and not just act “half-heartedly”. A colleague and I went along to the Kanbe Osteopathic Clinic in Kitasuna to find out just what this means.
The clinic, with its clean and bright green frontage, is located down a quiet side street close to Sunamachi Ginza and is run by Mr. Kanbe, assisted by his wife, Ayumi. Prior to its opening in January 2014, Mr. Kanbe worked as an assistant and then as a doctor in several clinics before launching out on his own.
Asked why he chose to set up the clinic in Kitasuna, he replied that “as it is close to Sunamachi Ginza it has a populous catchment area”. But it is not just this part of Koto ward that patients come from; some, after having exhausted various forms of “regular” hospital treatment, are apparently happy to travel considerable distances to be treated by Mr. Kanbe, and one wall in the reception area is covered with testimonies and photographs from satisfied customers.
Mr. Kanbe considers that at the heart of any treatment for back trouble lies the spine and walking. Talking to him it is apparent that a bad back is no respecter of age or gender, and that there is a vicious circle consisting of not exercising because of a bad back, which itself is caused by not exercising enough. Mr. Kanbe aims to break this cycle, but he stresses that it needs the commitment and determination of the patient to see the course of treatment through to an agreed goal.
Kanbe Osteopathic Clinic offers various programmes which include simple relaxation, preventative therapy and treatment of injuries, such as sports and heavy back injuries, as well as of spinal canal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal cord resulting in pinching of the cord and nerves) and sciatica (lower back trouble).
Courtesy of Kanbe Osteopathic Clinic
For all patients Mr. Kanbe advocates a programme which combines therapy under his hands with “homework” on the part of the patient: this may consist of changes in lifestyle, including dietary change leading to weight loss, change in posture and taking up or resuming exercise.
Courtesy of Kanbe Osteopathic Clinic
Courtesy of Kanbe Osteopathic Clinic
Mr. Kanbe generally eschews the use of lots of gadgets and equipment, relying primarily on the use of his hands to manipulate a patient’s muscles and spine to relieve discomfort and correct any underlying abnormality in posture.
The clinic operates an appointment-only system, ensuring that there is only one patient, or at a maximum two, in the clinic at one time, and if a female patient would prefer the presence of a woman during the session, Mrs. Kanbe is always there.
Courtesy of Kanbe Osteopathic Clinic
The recovery process starts with an interview which looks at the patient’s ailments and various aspects of his or her lifestyle along with a physical examination. This leads to a diagnosis and explanation as to the possible cause of the problem and a discussion of the patient’s goals, which leads ultimately to a recommended course of treatment. For this to succeed, the patient’s full cooperation is essential – no missing or cancelling appointments and all agreed activities at home (ie: the “homework”) must be done.
To assist him when counselling a patient Mr. Kanbe uses a tablet to record progress with rehabilitation, and he showed me an example detailing “before and after” shots of a patient’s ability to bend down and touch his toes.
For mothers suffering from post-natal back pains caused by hip re-alignment, they are welcome to bring their babies and small children to the clinic whilst they receive manipulation, and to keep the kids occupied there is a small area packed with books and toys and a selection of DVDs where Mrs. Kanbe can keep an eye on them.
Mr. Kanbe is happy to treat non-Japanese speaking patients and jokingly showed how, through a combination of actions and the use of English medical terminology, he can make himself understood by a patient.
The clinic offers a series of courses: Order Made Course which treats back pains, headaches, knees and shoulder problems (6,600 yen per session), a Premium Order Made Course (8,800 yen per session), which is designed to treat stenosis and sciatica, a Diet Course, which for 6,600 yen per session, combines pelvic correction with massage to support a weight loss programme.
And for those just wanting a relaxing massage on their way home from work Mr. Kanbe makes an exception and employs a Medilous Air Massage Machine where, for 2,200 yen, their blood circulation will be stimulated, tiredness relieved, and their lower body massaged to reduce swollen limbs.
Courtesy of Kanbe Osteopathic Clinic
As we were leaving it struck me that here is an osteopath who achieves results by getting his patients totally involved in the remediation process, rather than just leaving it all up to the doctor. If that is the way for you, why not give him a call and book an appointment?
Story and photographs by Jeremy Hutchinson
