Osteopathic Medicine was founded by Andrew Taylor Still MD in Kirksville, Missouri. His principles of Osteopathy shook the foundation of healthcare during that time. To this day the principles of Osteopathy have a powerful impact on medicine. The body is a self healing unit, structure and function are integrally connected, and a person is composed of mind, body, and spirit. All these principles were part of Dr. Typaldos training as he identified the FDM. I would argue that being an osteopath is part of the reason the principles of FDM made so much sense in his mind.
I am excited to see the FDM being embraced and taught at the home of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri. I feel that the FDM and Osteopathic medicine are interconnected. In my mind FDM helps explain many of the principles and theories taught in Osteopathic Practice and Principles (OPP). FDM helps the Osteopath understand more of the bodies function and provides both a frame work and more tools that can be utilized to help patients. Every osteopathic modality currently taught in OPP is further explained and clarified when viewed through the lens of the FDM. The power of Osteopathy is expanded when one combines a solid working knowledge of the FDM with the core Osteopathic principles.
For any manual therapist this course in Missouri will mark a home coming for a truly Osteopathic model. All of us who practice manual therapy owe Dr. Still and Dr. Typaldos a debt beyond gratitude. Both of these men faced criticism and skepticism as they developed ideas that have helped countless patients heal. The attacks on these individuals as they were trying to develop new ideas can become very personal. Interestingly, these attacks continue to be personal at times. While more practitioners are using the model and getting great results the evidence has been slow to accumulate. I do not feel that this is because the evidence is not there. I, for one, find relieving a patients pain and improving their life much more rewarding than conducting research. However, we have reached a time where we are needing to focus more on gathering the evidence of the effectiveness of FDM.
As FDM returns to the home of Osteopathy come and help us celebrate this important step. Be a part of the next steps forward in the spread of the FDM. Join us in Kirksville to salute Dr. Still and Dr. Typaldos.