What is Osteopathy ?
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical complaints. It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principal that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscle, ligament and connecting tissues functioning smoothly together.
Osteopathic Treatment
Osteopathic treatment involves work on the soft tissues, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of the joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to the tissues, and to help your body’s own healing mechanism. Corrective strengthening and stretching exercises are recommended as well as other self help procedures. A small percentage of people have some soreness for one or two days after treatment, as the tissues recover but if this lasts longer, please give me a call so that I can advise you and if you have any issues with the treatment at all, please contact me.
New Patient information
Your First Consultation
Osteopaths treat each person as an individual; your treatment will be designed around you.
On your first appointment you will be asked a series of questions. Most of the questions are about your immediate problem, we will also ask about any previous problems and your medical history. Some of these questions may not seem relevant, but they will help us to build a full picture of your problem.
Please bring with you any other information, such as M.R.I scans, x-rays or reports you may have.
Please bring a list of any medication you are currently taking. This helps us establish your present medical condition and ensures treatment will complement this. I will then need to examine you.
Depending on the problem, it may be necessary for you to be undressed to your underwear. This enables me to see how the problem is affecting the whole of your body, and what affect your posture has on your condition.
A pair of loose shorts may be worn if you wish and we provide a gown that can be worn.
You will usually be asked to do some simple movements, again so we can assess how your problem is affecting you, but only if these do not cause you too much discomfort.
Depending on the problem you may have to sit or lay on to the treatment table, so that further examination and tests, such as reflexes, sensation and examination of the painful area, can be done.
When this is completed I will discuss the findings with you and give you an idea of what is wrong.
Once a diagnosis has been made I will explain my findings with you. I will then explain the treatment I would recommend for you and answer any questions you may have.
What do Osteopaths treat ?
Some typical conditions treated include
- back shoulder & neck pain
- sports injuries
- sciatica
- repetitive strain injuries
- trapped nerves
- tennis elbow
- knee pain
- frozen shoulder
- foot problems
- hip problems
- golfer’s elbow
- tendonitis
Muscle Activation
Muscle activation is a way of balancing the body’s musculo-skeletal function and helps to prevent future injuries.
Sometimes our muscles are a split second slow at activating when we ask them to, for example, when we are walking, the core or stabilising muscles in the leg that we are standing on have to work the instant we ask them to. If one or more of the muscles are late in ‘fireing up’ or ‘switching on’ a strain can occur in other muscles, ligaments and joints, or any combination of these. This then leads to strain or injury resulting in pain.
If a stabilising muscle isn’t doing its job properly, then another muscle has to take over, so for example, if the hip flexors aren’t firing up quickly enough, the front thigh muscle takes over to stabilise the hips and pelvis when their main job is to stabilise the knee. Then other muscles have to help to stabilise the knee and become less efficient at their own function and so it goes on.
Muscle activation is a way of firing up the muscles so that the muscle that should stabilise us, do so when they are asked and the muscles that move our body and limbs can do their job, without having to do the job of stabilising us.
Functional Fascia Taping FFT
Fascia is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily made up of collagen fibres beneath the skin that attaches, stabilises, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. Fascia is classified by layer, as superficial fascia, deep fascia and visceral or parietal fascia or by their functions and anatomical location.
Many problems thought to be muscle, ligament or joint pains can be caused by tightening or strain to the fascia and applying a taping, a certain way, can ease the pain of superficial fascia problems. In conjunction with treatment FFT can be very effective at speeding up recovery times.
All Osteopaths in the UK must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), which sets and promotes high standards of competency, and safety.