Osteopathy is a form of “hands on” treatment where the practitioner will use his or her hands to assess and treat you...
...that's a principle that underpins osteopathy, is that the connection between the structure of the body and the way it functions, is linked together and then used to facilitate your own body’s built-in healing mechanisms. This is achieved by focusing on how the bones, joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, connective tissues, internal organs and even your mind and spirit work together as one whole unit.
Your osteopath can identify many types of dysfunctions in your body and will evaluate and diagnose you using diagnostic tests such as postural assessment, orthopaedic and neurological tests. Then, treatment is tailored to your body and can include a range of techniques such as gentle soft tissue massage, stretching, mobilisation and manipulation to improve function and relieve pain and tension in your body.
Additionally, your osteopath may also help with education, advice, stretches and exercises to help with improvements and keep you mobile between visits. If required, your osteopath may also suggest and help with referring you to different practitioners from other disciplines to further assist with healing and improving dysfunction.
While osteopathy is mostly associated with musculoskeletal issues such as back and neck pain, sporting or work injuries, and other joint and muscle disorders, other reasons people may visit an osteopath include:
- General wellness and maintenance
- Pregnancy and post pregnancy related pain
- Asthma or other breathing related disorders
- Shoulder, elbow, wrist, or hand pain
- Hip, knee, ankle, or foot pain
- Sleeping, feeding or digestive problems in babies
- Headaches
- Digestive or gynaecological complaints
- Rehabilitation after surgery or injury
- Pelvic pain and sciatica
Your osteopath can also help with lodging an ACC claim if you have had an accident.
