Osteopathy is suitable for almost everyone from the young to the very old and is used to treat and help prevent a wide range of different symptoms, and both chronic and acute pain. At its core, osteopathy understands that your body is an integrated and indivisible whole, and constantly works hard to heal and regulate itself. An Osteopath will work with you to help create the best conditions for your self-healing mechanisms to flourish so that you can recover from injury, or improve your function. No single part of the body works in isolation and therefore no part can be considered on its own -a weakness or restriction in one area of the body will affect things elsewhere.
Osteopaths are experts in biomechanics and in posture and will look at all aspects of your life, from previous injuries to your occupation and from hobbies and past times to any medications you might be taking, all with the aim of uncovering the root causes of pain, injury or disease. All relevant psychological and social factors form a part of the diagnosis, and your treatment may well involve advice on exercise, diet, lifestyle and nutrition to help you find your best possible health.
The early Osteopath Dr Andrew Taylor Still was famously quoted to have said: “The only type of person who would not benefit from osteopathy is a dead one!” Of course, whilst Mr Taylor Still was obviously extremely biased towards osteopathic treatment, the benefits of osteopathy can be long ranging and far reaching.
“Over 30,000 people every day visit an osteopath suffering from a variety of conditions including neck or back pain, joint or muscular pain, sports injuries, recurring headaches and more. Many patients are pregnant mothers, unsettled children, or those with work strain, or pain and stiffness related to advancing years.”
Osteopathy can help with a wide range of medical issues including: sports-related injuries, back pain, joint pain, arthritis, fatigue, head aches and migraine. The list goes on and on. There’s also big drive at the moment to undertake studies into the positive effects osteopathy may have on systemic conditions like IBS, Asthma, COPD, or to aid recovery from surgery or help with trauma from childbirth. Osteopath and one-time ‘Fix-er’ Danny Orchard shares his view: “I believe that osteopathy has a lot to offer the medical community and I pride myself on being up-to-date with all the latest evidence-based medicine. Touch is sadly lacking in modern medicine which is a shame, as the simple ‘laying on of hands’ can greatly enhance the therapeutic process and give the patient the encouragement they need to start using their body again.”
So, what can you expect in an osteopathic session? After a thorough consultation and evaluation, the treatment is hands-on and involves skilled manipulation of the spine and joints, and massage of soft tissues. Importantly any treatment will be specifically tailored to you as a whole. You will be talked through each part of your treatment and you may of course ask questions at any time. You will often be given exercises as ‘homework’ and advice on a range of lifestyle factors exercises to assist your recovery and prevent recurrence or worsening of your symptoms. All osteopaths at Fix are movement fanatics, commited to the best health for each individual person and love better understanding the things it takes to get the Fix community stronger, fitter and happier.
Start your road to recovery here with Sam, Luke and Ola