Correcting occipitomastoid suture slippage using a high velocity low amplitude technique to improve coordination and balance

Background: Cranial osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a field with a lot of room for more research into the indications and efficacy of its application in patients with neurological symptoms and disturbances. Case Information: An 83-year-old Caucasian male with a history of chronic intermittent neurological disturbances is found to have significant occipitomastoid (OM) suture slippage. He had been experiencing significant vertigo, balance, gait, and coordination issues that were negatively affecting his quality of life and made him prone to severe falls. High velocity, low amplitude (HVLA) treatment was periodically performed to the OM suture bilaterally in biweekly intervals to address misalignment. After treatment, the patient reported significant and immediate improvement in balance and coordination. This case study reviews cranial osteopathic medicine and OMT, mechanisms of injury, clinical findings, and treatment for patients with OM suture slippage. Conclusions: Patients presenting with neurological variations from baseline represent a unique challenge to physicians in that an array of generalized symptoms as well as focal neurological deficits can all point to different diagnoses or the same. Furthermore, multiple systems influence a single sensory and/or motor function. This case illustrates a patient who had consistently received temporary relief from these neurological disturbances after cranial HVLA to the OM suture. Results could potentially be unique to the patient physiology and provider experience, however the success of using cranial HVLA to help with gait and coordination is an exciting endeavor that could help other patients with neurological disturbances.