What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a safe and natural approach to healthcare. Patients may be treated for health problems and injuries from the trauma of birth to arthritis in the elderly, from the backache of pregnancy to sports injuries, from the cradle to the rocking chair.

Osteopathy is an established, recognised system of diagnosis and treatment that focuses on the structural integrity and function of the body. It is distinctive in the fact that it recognises that a lot of the pain and discomfort we feel is derived from changes in the function of the body’s structure as well as damage caused by disease.

Osteopathy uses many of the same diagnostic and examination procedures used in conventional medicine. Its core strength, however lies in the unique way the patient is assessed from a mechanical, functional and postural standpoint. This is complemented by the distinctive manual methods of treatment applied to suit the needs of each individual patient.

Osteopaths use their hands both to investigate the underlying causes of pain and to carry out treatment using a variety of techniques. These may vary from muscle and connective tissue stretching, rhythmical joint movements (articulation) to high velocity thrust techniques. More gentle techniques are often also used, especially in the very young and more elderly.