After an illness or injury strain patterns can occur, resulting in postural imbalances, tissue adhesions, or surgical scars. These strains can cause tension patterns to form within the fascial network, including the fascia around organs, that can cause dysfunctions within the body. The body is forced to compensate at these points of tension, and often this chronic irritation creates functional or structural problems in other areas of the body. A trained therapist will test for the fascial attraction to the primary restriction in the body and use a direct approach (direction of tension) or indirect approach (direction of ease). Visceral manipulation uses soft manual forces to target any strains found in the visceral connective tissue and treats the dynamics of motion and suspension of those areas of tension to create harmony within the body.