Osteopathy is a form of manual medicine established by A.T. Still in the late 1800’s. It focuses on total body health by treating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework, which underpins the human skeleton. Its aim is to positively affect the body’s nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems.
The philosophy of Osteopathy is what sets it apart from other medical disciplines. One of the key principles is that the body is a unit and all parts of the body must function 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. When the body is free of restrictions in movement, Osteopathic treatment assists the body with pain minimization, reduced stress and greater mobility providing the body with the opportunity to heal itself. Osteopaths use a broad range of gentle hands-on techniques including soft tissue stretching, deep tactile pressure, and mobilization or manipulation of joints.