What Is Osteopathy
This is a manual therapy practice for pain and musculoskeletal conditions . We treat muscles, joints and the connective tissue that binds these all together.
Our aim is to give the body the best chance of healing itself. We achieve this by promoting joint motion, circulation, strength training, improving proprioception and education about your condition and how the body works in relation to this.
Osteopathy addresses the body as a whole unit. While treating a particular injury, we look to identify factors that have contributed to the injury. Additionally, we address the secondary mechanical consequences the injury then causes to the rest of the body. For this reason, treatment will often involve muscles and joints distant to the painful region. The relation between the injury and the rest of the body can take many forms, including; biomechanical or structural associations and neurological or circulatory relationships.
Our aim is to give the body the best chance of healing itself. We achieve this by promoting joint motion, circulation, strength training, improving proprioception and education about your condition and how the body works in relation to this.
Osteopathy addresses the body as a whole unit. While treating a particular injury, we look to identify factors that have contributed to the injury. Additionally, we address the secondary mechanical consequences the injury then causes to the rest of the body. For this reason, treatment will often involve muscles and joints distant to the painful region. The relation between the injury and the rest of the body can take many forms, including; biomechanical or structural associations and neurological or circulatory relationships.
Common Questions About Osteopathy
Q: What qualifications does an osteopath have?
A: In Australia, an osteopath will undergo 5 years full-time study at university. Subjects include osteopathic technique, principles of osteopathy, anatomy, physiology, pathology, clinical diagnosis & management, radiology, exercise rehabilitation, nutrition, psychology and more.
Q: Osteopathy is about bones, right?
A: Osteopathy has a misleading name to some extent. It works with the whole of your body, including bones, muscles, nerves, joints, circulation and respiration.
Q: What's the difference between an osteopath, chiropractor and physiotherapist?
A: Osteopaths are heavily focused on individualised, one-on-one, hands-on treatment. We can perform firm or gentle treatments with a wide variety of techniques to suit your condition and preference. We provide thorough consultations. Treatment focuses on large areas of the body, we take into consideration how the rest of the body is moving in relation to your injury and treat it appropriately.
Chiropractors and physiotherapists have a different origin in practice setting, philosophy, treatment style and techniques. Other differences arise between individual practitioners regarding appointment duration, time spent using hands-on care, use of machines and integration of exercises. These factors vary widely between all three professions so it is best to talk to your local therapist individually about how they personally run their appointments.
Q: Why am I in pain / injured?
A: Depending on the type of injury, pain can be due to one or many contributing factors, such as:
Q: Why do osteopaths ask so many questions and do so many tests?
A: To ensure we have the best chance of providing you with an accurate diagnosis and the most effective treatment:
Q: Why doesn't it get better on it's own?
A: It may eventually, or may not, it depending on what the injury is and many other factors. Osteopathy works to overcome obstacles to healing, and to promote rapid recovery. We do this by various methods:
Q: Why did the osteopath treat my back, when I just had a sore shoulder?
A: We typically treat many areas of the body, because no one region works in isolation. Pain in one area of the body affects those areas adjacent. Osteopaths attempt to treat this chain-reaction of events. We will try to explain what we are doing as we work, always feel free to ask!
A: In Australia, an osteopath will undergo 5 years full-time study at university. Subjects include osteopathic technique, principles of osteopathy, anatomy, physiology, pathology, clinical diagnosis & management, radiology, exercise rehabilitation, nutrition, psychology and more.
Q: Osteopathy is about bones, right?
A: Osteopathy has a misleading name to some extent. It works with the whole of your body, including bones, muscles, nerves, joints, circulation and respiration.
Q: What's the difference between an osteopath, chiropractor and physiotherapist?
A: Osteopaths are heavily focused on individualised, one-on-one, hands-on treatment. We can perform firm or gentle treatments with a wide variety of techniques to suit your condition and preference. We provide thorough consultations. Treatment focuses on large areas of the body, we take into consideration how the rest of the body is moving in relation to your injury and treat it appropriately.
Chiropractors and physiotherapists have a different origin in practice setting, philosophy, treatment style and techniques. Other differences arise between individual practitioners regarding appointment duration, time spent using hands-on care, use of machines and integration of exercises. These factors vary widely between all three professions so it is best to talk to your local therapist individually about how they personally run their appointments.
Q: Why am I in pain / injured?
A: Depending on the type of injury, pain can be due to one or many contributing factors, such as:
- Muscle, tendon, ligament, disc, cartilage, nerve, meniscus or joint injury
- Poor lifting technique
- Seated posture
- Repetitive use
- Overtraining
- Wear and tear
- Gym exercise technique
- Physical de-conditioning
- Trauma
- Disease
- Nerve sensitisation
- Long-term medication use
Q: Why do osteopaths ask so many questions and do so many tests?
A: To ensure we have the best chance of providing you with an accurate diagnosis and the most effective treatment:
- To understand what is damaged, and why
- To give you a realistic recovery timeframe
- To identify how to prevent re-aggravation
- To determine an appropriate treatment plan specific to your condition
Q: Why doesn't it get better on it's own?
A: It may eventually, or may not, it depending on what the injury is and many other factors. Osteopathy works to overcome obstacles to healing, and to promote rapid recovery. We do this by various methods:
- Education about your injury
- Ensure good movement patterns that place less stress on injured joints
- Ensure good circulation required for healing
- Improve poor joint movement
- Stabilise unstable joints
- Reduce tension in tight muscles
- Lengthen short muscles
- Strengthen weakened muscles
Q: Why did the osteopath treat my back, when I just had a sore shoulder?
A: We typically treat many areas of the body, because no one region works in isolation. Pain in one area of the body affects those areas adjacent. Osteopaths attempt to treat this chain-reaction of events. We will try to explain what we are doing as we work, always feel free to ask!