SKART (Structural Kinesiology Acupressure Release Technique) is a cutting-edge new diagnostic and therapeutic technique designed, trialled and used for the efficient management of back, neck, hip and leg pain. The online course teaches safe and simple techniques which, when applied to the body, can identify and treat a spectrum of conditions.

 

Through my work at the Centre for the study of Complementary Medicine, I was approached to run a Chronic Pain research trial for the NHS. This developed into an NHS Chronic Pain Clinic which I ran for 18 years. It was here that SKART was developed, researched and used to help thousands of patients. I had over 80 GPs referring patients to me for a wide spectrum of pain-based issues, in which SKART was fundamental in my ability to locate, identify and treat these skeletal and muscular conditions successfully.

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After leaving the NHS, I spent time teaching the technique I used to practitioners and some doctors before taking time to have a family. With my daughter now grown and at university I want to continue the work I started, by getting the message and power of SKART back out into the world. Over the last year I have written a full qualification specification which has been approved, accredited and endorsed by the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT). And now, been accredited worldwide in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA as an approved and recognised technique. We are delighted to be a Platinum Training Provider for them and through the e-learning platform are spreading the word throughout the world.

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The foundations of SKART are based on the principals of Meridian therapies which have their roots in the practice of Acupressure and Kinesiology, dating back to B.C. The Great philosopher Aristotle termed the word kinesiology and is often referred to as the “Father of Kinesiology”. Over the years knowledge has been developed on this subject but most articles and research start from the early 1900’s.

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In 1964 Dr George Goodheart, an American Chiropractor, extended on this knowledge by discovering that specific muscles of the body when tested could reveal a great deal about a person’s state of health. He concluded that it was not muscle spasms that pulled the spine out of place, but more likely a weak muscle on one side of the body causing a normal muscle opposing it to become or seem tight. Working on just releasing the tight muscle will therefore usually only give short term relief.

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Our bodies are balanced mechanisms with the skeleton being the frame that everything is attached to, including muscles, tendons and ligaments. Each muscle relies on many things to keep it balanced. These include, a nerve to activate it, a blood supply to oxygenate it, Lymphatics to clear it and the acupressure meridian to energise. Kinesiology is taught in over 200 Universities in America as a ‘Kinesiology & Exercise Science Course’. This course looks at sports management, athletic training and physical education at degree, bachelor's and master's level. In the UK however, Kinesiology is relatively unknown as the practitioners who use it integrate it into their therapies but often don't use it by name directly.

 

What can SKART help you with?

It is clear that there is a growing problem of back pain within our society. It is the most common symptom presented to a GP in the UK. Recent back pain figures from the Office for National Statistics show that nearly 31 million days of work are lost every year due to back pain.

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The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says that low back pain results in many problems. Whilst back pain can be seen as a universal problem, the effects on an individual level can be great. Reduced mobility can greatly affect quality of life, the ability to work, and can cause isolation. The treatment of back pain costs the NHS more than £1 billion a year and the UK economy £3.5 billion a year in lost production. Therefore, the expertise to effectively prevent and treat back pain can be a crucial part of a clinician’s toolkit.

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There is now a huge body of research on Kinesiology, which has been developed by physicians. Research has found that kinesiology is a tool that enables unbiased and non-intrusive assessments to be made of many aspects of life's functions and dysfunctions.

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Research has also shown that one of the most under-recognised causes of chronic back pain is due to misalignments. Misalignments can occur due to twisting awkwardly, poor sleeping facilities, injury or pregnancy. Misalignments of the vertebra in the spinal column puts pressure on nerves, causing shooting pain, weakness, numbness, tingling and different leg lengths if the pelvis is involved.

 

What are some of the areas SKART treats?

Back & Neck Problems that can cause pain, headaches, dizziness, leg pains and restless legs.

“For about 18 months I had been feeling quite unwell with headaches and neck ache. These symptoms were quite severe before treatment. Results showed after just two weeks, and after six weeks I felt totally different. I felt well, and nine months later there has been no relapse.”

- Debbie Gifford

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The Symphysis Pubis is the joint at the front of the pelvis between the pubic bones. This is held together by fibro cartilage, which is supposed to minimise movement and make the structure rigid. But unfortunately, it can become misaligned leading to pain in the groin, hip area, leg length imbalance, leg weakness or giving way, and pain radiating down the outside of the leg. It can also contribute to the destabilisation of the back, causing general back pain as a secondary problem.

“I had been suffering from groin pain and pain down the side of my leg. It was severe, and my mobility was decreasing. After three treatments, the general pain had reduced from level nine to zero. After treatment I'm able to enjoy my gardening much more and no longer use a walking stick.” 

- Joan Adkins

 

SKART also helps with pain location and treats:

• Cranial issues which can cause headaches, pressure pain and excess crying in babies.

• Lymphatic problems leading to feelings of sluggishness, toxic build up and reduced energy.

• Jaw issues leading to pain.

• Shoulder problems causing pain, tingling and numbness down the arm and in the fingers.

• Ileocecal valve problems causing pains in lower right abdominal area and gut spasms.

• Hiatus Hernia issues linked to pain and discomfort under the left ribs, indigestion & nausea.

 

THE COURSE

SKART is a bespoke online course that has been designed for those who are looking for an exciting and rewarding new career in healthcare. Similarly, for those who are already treating patients and wish to add a new therapeutic and diagnostic tool to their skill set.

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The SKART qualification can be done at your own pace anywhere in the world. It is a perfect tool for practitioners to be able to help their clients more. It gives you quick diagnostic tools, treatment methods and a client feedback system so that you and your client can see that the treatment has worked.

 

What are the benefits of SKART to me?

• You will learn to solve back issues using effective, practical, safe, non-force, and gentle correction techniques.

• The course’s design means that it is easy to learn and understand, bringing you into the forefront of your profession with these new skills to benefit practice and client health.

• With millions of people suffering from pain conditions, you can be the solution.

• Learn to use SKART to study the body’s energy systems. To use the muscles as diagnostic tools to access the most appropriate treatment for the body, to find the exact pain site and to be able to treat it so you can clear the pain.

• SKART muscle testing is a way to communicate with the body. It is a biofeedback system that talks to the body in a language which the body understands and can respond to and gives real time feedback. It allows us to use the patient’s own body as the research tool to find out what it needs, where to treat, how to treat and gives feedback on whether the correction has held and corrected the problem area, giving patient reassurance, as it is easy to see the difference.

• Using SKART to find imbalances and issues through muscle testing helps remove the doubt, guesswork and the hard work of subjective diagnostics.

• SKART is non force and gentler than many other manipulative therapies. It is quick to locate the problem area, needing no gadgets and it can be done anywhere. I have corrected people’s neck problems on trains, planes and by the beach.

• Do you want to be part of the 21st centuries health developments? Be free of pain and change the way you see health, and help others by embarking in a new and rewarding career in the SKART health system?

 

Reference

How to Treat and Avoid Low Back Pain by Oliver Eaton listed in back pain, originally published in issue 249 - October 2018

In a Randomized controlled trial, 183 patients with neck pain were randomly allocated to manual therapy (spinal mobilization), physiotherapy (mainly exercise) or general practitioner care (counselling, education and drugs) in a 52-week study. The clinical outcomes measures showed that manual therapy resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy and general practitioner care. Moreover, total costs of the manual therapy-treated patients were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care. - Korthals-de Bos et al (2003), BMJ

 

"Manual-thrust manipulation provides greater short-term reductions in self-reported disability and pain compared with usual medical care. 94% of the manual-thrust manipulation group achieved greater than 30% reduction in pain compared with 69% of usual medical care." - Schneider et al (2015)

 

“Cervical spine manipulation was associated with significant improvement in headache outcomes in trials involving patients with neck pain and/or neck dysfunction and headache.” - McCrory, Penzlen, Hasselblad, Gray (2001), Duke Evidence Report