About Osteopathy

Osteopathy is a system of manual therapy which is mainly concerned with the structural health of the body as a whole. Osteopaths use their hands to identify and treat restricted or injured areas with the aim of restoring normal movement to the joints, muscles and ligaments of the body.

Osteopathy uses a wide variety of techniques, including soft-tissue massage, stretching of joints and muscles, and joint manipulation in order to restore proper mobility. At the other end of the spectrum, “cranial” osteopathy, a gentle method of rebalancing joint and ligamentous strains, can be especially useful in the treatment of babies and children, and for patients for whom more direct techniques might be unsuitable. Exercises and advice may also be given to re-enforce changes made during treatment.

In all cases treatment is carefully adapted to suit the needs of the individual patient.

Osteopathy was the first complementary health profession to gain statutory recognition in the UK under the Osteopaths Act 1993 and all osteopaths must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council.