One of the most common questions we get asked as Osteopath’s is “what do you do?” So I’ll try and break it down and make it as simple as possible. 
Let’s start at the beginning, our University Training.
As Osteopath’s we all need to undertake a 5 year university degree covering all aspects of Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology Biomechanics and most importantly for us, Osteopathic diagnosis and treatment techniques. We are trained to perform standard medical exams of the musculoskeletal, nervous and cardiovascular systems to arrive at a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan.
As Osteopath’s we are trained to treat the bodies muscles, joints, tendons, spine and ligaments in all areas of the body. As these are the structures that generally break down, these are our primary focus.
Some of the very common conditions we see daily are:
- Neck Pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Shoulder pain and Rotator cuff injuries
- Low Back Pain
- Chronic Tendon injuries – like Tennis Elbow or Plantar Fasciitis.
- Sporting Injuries
- Arthritis
- Sciatica
- Hip Pain
- Bursitis
- Pregnancy related pain. And YES we have a wonderful pillow allowing our pregnant mums to lie on your tummy!
The key principles of osteopathy are based on all parts of the body functioning together in an integrated manner. If one part of the body is restricted, then the rest of the body must adapt and compensate for this, eventually leading to inflammation, pain, stiffness and other health conditions.
Keep in mind, that as primary healthcare practitioners, we are trained to recognise when a condition requires referring onto another medical professional. So if we cant help you, or your concern is out of our scope, We will spend time finding the right person to help you.
Your First Osteopathic Session:
Firstly we need to get some important information. We will ask you various questions about your problem. Simple questions like “when did you first notice the pain?” Can you do anything to make it better? What makes it worse? These questions allows us to start to get an understanding about you and your pain. Some questions may seem odd, like “does it effect your sleep?” or What is it stopping you from doing? But these are all important if we are to find the CAUSE of your pain and treat you effectively.
The Assessment:
Next we need to identify how you are moving, whats not moving and where the problem lies. Because we address the body as a whole, our focus is not just on the area of pain, but rather all the areas that may be contributing. Put simply a lower back problem may be caused by your ankle. We like to focus on the body as a whole unit. Plus we like to be thorough!! Once we have all this, we will arrive at a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan that is specific to you and your problem.
The Treatment!
We then need to get to work relieving your pain. An Osteopathic treatment session will generally include a variety of techniques.These may be
- Soft tissue massage.
- Joint mobilisation, stretching and Articulation
- Manipulation ( where appropriate and safely to perform and always with your permission)
- Dry Needling techniques.
- Shockwave Therapy – Great for the chronic injuries that have just not responded to conservative treatment.
Our goals are to reduce your muscular guarding spasm, improve your range of motion, strengthen your weakness and provide long term solutions so your pain does not return
We will focus on all aspects of your life. Addressing areas such as your work station, how you get to and from work, your bed. As these are all areas which have a major influence on YOU as a whole.
The most obvious benefit of osteopathy is the ability of osteopaths to treat pain that you experience in a way that considers you as a person and your body as a whole and not as an isolated injury
Saying Goodbye and your Management Plan:
No treatment is ever complete without ensuring our patients are 100% satisfied and understand the treatment journey that lies ahead. We provide specific management plans outlining your specific diagnosis and estimated recovery time. It will also include some homework. We provide you with strengthening exercises and stretches to help compliment your hands on session. These are targeted at improving your health and wellbeing as well as getting you back to doing the things you love pain free.
Fast Facts:
- Found by AT Still in the late 1800’s.. so its been around for awhile.
- The word “osteopath” comes from the Greek word “osteo” meaning “structure”.
- Osteopaths must undertake continually professional developmental learning (CPD points) every year.
- Osteopaths are covered by private health funds
- We are happy to work with your GP under Chronic Disease Management plans
I hope the clears up a few things about what we do as Osteopath’s. If you are suffering with pain and not doing the things you love to do, why not give Osteopathy a go. You can book in to see one of our Osteopath’s via the BOOK IN ONLINE Button. We are also more than happy to chat to you via the blue drift box in the bottom right hand corner. Alternatively you can send us an email at [email protected] with your contact details and we can arrange a chat to see how our Osteopaths can help you.
At Equilibrium Sports and Spinal clinic our Osteopaths thrive on helping Glen Iris locals who are not living their lives to the fullest. Our Osteopaths service Malvern, Glen Iris, Ashburton, Hawthorn and Caulfield. Let us help you turn your life around get you back to doing the things you love.
