Osteopathy is a system of medicine that focuses on treating, and preventing, painful muscle and joint problems. By using a range of hands-on-treatments, Osteopaths focus on creating balance within the body.

Osteopaths use joint mobilisations and manipulations (the 'click') together with stretching and massage techniques to increase the flexibility of joints and body tissues. This helps to relieve muscle tension, relieve muscle spasms and improve tissue health, all of which aid the body to heal itself.

Osteopaths are commonly thought of for just treating back pain, and while this is a big part of an Osteopath’s work, Osteopathy can also be used to treat a variety of other ailments such as:

• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain, e.g frozen shoulder
• Elbow pain, e.g. tennis or golfers elbow
• Hip and knee problems
• Osteoarthritis
• Sports injuries
• Generalised aches and pains
• Headaches, particularly those arising from tension and neck problems
• Nerve pain such as neuralgia or sciatica
• Fibromyalgia
• Cramp

What are the differences between Osteopaths and Chiropractors?

The founding of osteopathy (by Dr Still) pre-dates chiropractic treatment by twenty one years.

• Chiropractors tend to focus mainly on the alignment of the spinal column, whereas osteopaths assess the whole musculoskeletal system and help improve its function by correcting the overall posture and alignment.
• Osteopaths can treat a wider range of ailments, including issues associated with the respiratory and digestive system.
• Chiropractors rely on diagnostic imaging such as X-rays, whereas osteopaths will firstly perform a clinical examination, and will generally refer patients for more diagnostic procedures if required.
• Osteopaths tend to use a greater variety of techniques to influence the body’s own healing system such as muscle and soft tissue techniques, joint articulation and manipulation, whereas chiropractors’ primary tool is the vertebral “adjustment”, which is similar to osteopathic manipulation.
• Chiropractic appointments tend to be shorter as they primarily focus on adjustment techniques which are quicker to carry out. Osteopaths spend more time with their patients per visit as their approach is broader and treatments tend to be spaced out over a longer period of time.
• Chiropractors tend to need to see their patients more frequently since the adjustments are usually only temporary and the muscles tend to pull the misaligned vertebrae out of position again. This means that more adjustments are needed for them to settle into position.