“Can OMT help in strengthening internal muscles of the body?”

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) can be a beneficial part of your father’s recovery after a stroke. While OMT does not directly “strengthen” muscles like physical therapy or resistance training, it can help improve circulation, nerve function, and musculoskeletal alignment, which can support muscle function and overall mobility.

Here’s how OMT might help in his case:

Improving Blood Flow & Lymphatic Drainage – Helps reduce swelling and promote healing in affected areas.
Enhancing Nervous System Function – Can aid in neuromuscular re-education, helping the brain and body communicate better.
Reducing Muscle Spasms & Stiffness – Useful for managing spasticity or tight muscles often seen after a stroke.
Restoring Range of Motion – Can help improve flexibility and mobility in affected limbs.
Supporting Breathing & Digestion – Certain OMT techniques can improve respiratory and digestive function, which may be impacted post-stroke.

For muscle strengthening, I’d recommend combining OMT with physical and occupational therapy to help your father regain strength and movement. Always co

OMT cannot strengthen muscles. However, they can help reduce tensions in muscles so they have less pain and function better. Physical therapy is usually the treatment doctors prescribe for strengthening muscles. OMT can certainly be done in combination with physical therapy too.

As there are variables concerning where and how severe a stroke was experienced and to what “internal” muscles you are talking about, however, OMT done by an effective practitioner that works with a patient's CNS as well as structurally can often facilitate rehabilitation.

RM Hiserote, DO

It depends on the kind of osteopathy being applied- it is more focused on removing restriction however, so usually the treatment in office is not focused on muscle strengthening. With that said, your practitioner might prescribe home exercises.

Osteopathic treatment can help integrate muscles and improve their ability to function at their best in isolation and with the other muscles around them. While it might not reverse nerve and brain damage caused by a stroke, it could help improve the ability of other nerve pathways and muscle groups to compensate for the deficits.

An osteopath would not perform any manipulation on your father but could help his strength and mobility by articulating his joints, recommending exercises, and ensuring there is a balance in his musculoskeletal system. A little massage may be used

Sometimes. Depending on the skill and background of the practitioner who offers OMT, it can help in concert with other accepted medical options.