Integrated Systems Approach

Integrative Manual Therapy is built upon an underlying philosophy known as the Integrated Systems Approach. Health care today is largely comprised of specialists that treat only specific systems of the body or use only specific modalities. At CenterIMT, we believe that a client’s presentation, signs and symptoms, and level of function are contributed to by health or dysfunction across all body systems. While addressing low back pain, for example, only treating the spine may yield positive results for one patient but not for another. That's because the human body is a complex system based on many interdependent factors. Our clients are individual people with their own individualized stories of dysfunction and functional impairments. Since the body is essentially a "system of interconnected systems", practitioners must be able to assess, diagnose and treat any and all systems in order to bring optimal results to the client as a whole.

This Integrated Systems Approach teaches us to use a total-body diagnostics process called Integrative Diagnostics and the system-specific technologies of Integrative Manual Therapy. A client might present symptoms of pain and limited motion of the left shoulder, for example. The Integrative Diagnostics process might reveal that the nerves are impinged at the shoulder, in which case the practitioner would apply Integrative Manual Therapy techniques specific to that system. If, on the other hand, Integrative Diagnostics indicates dysfunction in the region of the heart or the gall bladder, then techniques specific to those systems would be applied instead.

The Integrative Systems Approach includes the following systems and more:

• System of Biomechanics (joint integrity) of the pelvis, sacrum and spine


• System of Biomechanics of the peripheral joints of the arms and legs


• Muscle System


• Connective Tissue System


• Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord)


• Peripheral Nervous System


• Autonomic Nervous System


• Visceral System (cardiac, digestive, uro-genital, immune, pulmonary, detoxification, and more)


• Circulatory Systems (arterial, venous, and lymphatic)


• Energy Systems

The Integrated Systems Approach is based on the premise that there is no one single problem causing a personÕs pain, disability, or limited function. The concept of systems integration extends beyond the physical systems of the body. Indisputable evidence exists that physical health is also influenced by emotional, personal, mental, spiritual and other aspects of an individualÕs life. The Integrated Systems Approach embraces all of these aspects and related disciplines in a holistic multi-planar process designed to yield the best possible results in individual, community and world health.

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