What is osteopathy?

Osteopathic Manual Therapy is a gentle treatment that centres on your body’s ability to heal itself. It looks at imbalances in your body's structure as contributing to various health issues. Osteopathic manual practitioners, like myself, guide the healing process by realigning the body's structures. I do this by assessing the structure of your body, examining your bones and joints, while considering how your entire body plays a role in the symptoms you're experiencing. It acts as a complementary therapy alongside conventional medicine.

At its core, osteopathic manual therapy is grounded in three key pillars: anatomy, physiology, and four fundamental principles that guide our approach:

The body is a dynamic unit of function.

This means that every part of your body is connected and works together in harmony. “The thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone. The hip bone’s connected to the backbone. The backbone’s connected to the neck bone” There should also be a verse about the hip bone's connected to the arm bone! Sounds wild, but that’s the Latissimus Dorsi. That is just one example! Once you add fascia, blood, nerves, and biomechanics it becomes obvious that nothing works in isolation (kinda like people). 

Structure and function are interrelated. 

The way your body is structured directly impacts how it functions, and vice versa, how a joint functions changes our bones. An example of these ideas are; the difference between the shoulder and hip. The hip has less range of movement than the shoulder because of the shape of the hip socket. A hip socket is deeper than that of the shoulder. And their functions are different, the hip socket needs to be deeper because of its weight bearing function. The shoulder is happy to be a shallow joint because most of us don’t walk on our hands all day.

The body is self-healing and self-regulating.

Your body has an incredible ability to heal and maintain balance on its own. Think homeostasis from high school biology. We need a certain amount of water for basic biological functions, we get thirsty when we need more water, and pee when we need less water. When we get a cut, we can clean it and put a plaster on it, but the healing is done innately by our bodies. 

Rational treatment is based on the previous 3 principles. 

My treatment methods are firmly rooted in these principles, and I am reminded of them everyday when working with patients. 

What makes osteopathy super cool is its consideration of the body's systems. I get to dive deep into the interconnections among your body's systems, somewhat like exploring the great outdoors. The relationships between anatomical structures is what really brings anatomy to life for me. It is an adventure to discover how everything relates, from the most delicate tissues to the sturdiest bones, from the flow of fluids to the intricate neural pathways – it's all part of an incredible journey. As an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, I firmly believe that all the systems in your body collaborate to maintain your overall health and well-being. It's like a beautifully choreographed dance where every dancer plays its part in maintaining your health.

Anatomy and physiology provide a detailed map for understanding how the body should function optimally. Like on any adventure, a map is a guide not an answer. Every injury, every adaptation, no matter how similar, has a different history, and has its own path to health. With the detailed map that anatomy and physiology give me, I can assess where misalignment from injury or adaptations have occurred, and build a treatment that revolves around what you specifically need.   

When working with patients I like to balance my objective mechanical understanding of the body with your subjective somatic awareness. This unique approach allows me to blend the science of anatomy with your individual experiences, ensuring that your treatment is not only evidence-based but also finely attuned to your specific needs. During a session, I gently guide your body through various motions, identifying motion preferences, adaptations, and compensations, and apply precise corrections to set things right.