The skull is made up of 22 main bones that are connected by a series of complex joints (sutures) that facilitate motion. Although these sutures tend to partially fuse with the ageing process, they still behave throughout life as joints with varying degrees of motion (‘cranial compliance’).
Cranial bone motion is thought to be both induced by, and the direct result of, subtle pressure changes within the cardio-vascular and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) systems. Furthermore, it appears to be part of a complex hydrostatic pumping mechanism (coupled with the sacral bone of the pelvis) that facilitates the movements of blood and CSF around the brain and spinal cord (cranial hydrodynamics).
Craniopathic corrections, therefore, endeavour to gently reduce the various mechanical strains of the skull – by hand – in an attempt to improve cranial compliance and ultimately facilitate the flow of these vital fluids.