March 11, 2010
Osteopathy is a “whole body” system of manual therapy, based on unique biomechanical principles, which uses a wide range of techniques to treat musculoskeletal problems and other functional disorders of the body.
Osteopathy was developed in America in the 1870’s by a Missouri Doctor, Andrew Taylor Still, and has developed to the point where it is now widely recognised throughout the world as one of the most scientifically validated and effective complementary therapies. The World Health Organisation recognises the Osteopathic concept of somatic dysfunction as being scientifically proven.
How it Works
Osteopathy was one of the first professions to incorporate biomechanical analysis of how injuries occur and what the secondary effects are likely to be. To take a simple example, if you go to an Osteopath with a knee injury, the Osteopath will do much more than just examine and treat your knee. They will want to know exactly how the injury occurred in order to assess not just which tissues in the knee are injured, but also whether there may be any involvement of other areas with a mechanical relationship to the knee, such as the foot, hip, lower back and pelvis, and the associated soft tissue. They will then want to analyse any possible secondary effects. For instance, you may be “avoiding” the bad knee and putting more weight on the other side. Over a period of time, this may lead to problems developing in the low back or the “good” knee. The Osteopath will then use this information to prescribe a treatment plan that addresses not just the knee, but all of the other areas of the body and associated tissues that may be involved. The plan will include attention not just to the joints and their associated soft tissues, but also to the blood supply to the affected areas, the lymphatic drainage, the nerve supply etc., in order to include all those factors, which will affect the success of healing. It is this “whole body, multi-system” approach that has been the basis of Osteopathy’s success over the last century.
Conditions Commonly Treated
Osteopathy is best known for the treatment of a wide variety of musculo-skeletal problems, but it also has a role to play in the management of a number of other conditions. The most common complaints for which patients consult Osteopaths
include:
- Back and neck pain,
- Sciatica,
- Headaches,
- Pains in peripheral joints such as shoulders, knees and ankles, tendinitis and muscle strains,
- Work-related and repetitive strain injuries
- Sports-related injuries.
The Benefits
In addition to ameliorating pain, osteopathy can also play a significant role in pain management in arthritic conditions, and when used in conjunction with medical treatment, can be of value in reducing the severity of symptoms in conditions such as asthma, gynaecological dysfunction and chronic fatigue. Many mothers-to-be find osteopathic treatment very beneficial both to reduce back pain during pregnancy and also to help prepare the body for birth. In addition, there are a wide variety of gentle non-manipulative techniques for use on infants and small children. These can be used in the management of problems such as forceps trauma, infant colic and “glue ear.”
What to Expect During a Treatment
Osteopaths can call upon what is probably the largest range of techniques used in any manual therapy, including;
- Massage and stretching techniques
- Articulation techniques, where joints are mobilised by being taken through their range of motion.
- Muscle Energy techniques, where contracted muscles are released by alternating between stretch and resistance work.
- Counter-strain techniques, where the affected joint or muscle is put in a position of comfort, while applying a “Counter” stretch to the antagonists of the tight muscles.
- Functional techniques, involving the gentle mobilisation of joints in a way which “probes” the barriers of normal manipulation, which may be used where it is quite pain-free and safe to do so, though it is not the mainstay of most Osteopathic treatments.
- Osteopathy in the cranial field, which is a gentle release technique particularly, suited to young children and the physically frail.
- Visceral techniques are used in the management of conditions affecting internal organs. These involve gentle and rhythmical stretching of the visceral areas.
Osteopathic treatments are tailored to the requirements of the individual patient, and techniques are selected which are appropriate to the patient’s needs.
Research
There is a great deal of scientific research, which not only provides a physiological basis for osteopathic concepts and techniques, but also provides statistical data on the outcomes of treatment. Reports have shown not only a consistent level of successful outcome, but also a high degree of patient satisfaction.
