What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together’
Osteopaths use various techniques, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms.
They may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, promote health and prevent symptoms recurring.
How can Osteopathy help you?
An Osteopath’s main tool is their hands, used to identify abnormalities in the structure and function of a body, and to assess areas of weakness, tenderness, restriction or strain. By physical examination and assessing the movement and functioning of the body, your osteopath can diagnose and discuss with you the most appropriate treatment plan, estimating the likely number of sessions needed to treat your condition effectively.
By using Osteopathic techniques as a form of treatment it can work with your body’s ability to heal itself and help to restore the natural equilibrium. Treatment can range from relaxing and releasing muscle tension and stretching tight muscle tissue. Gentle massage and rhythmic movements applied to restricted joints in the spine or peripheral joints, such as shoulders, hips, knees. Stronger techniques such as manipulation can be useful for restricted joints, nerve irritation and increase joint mobility.
The particular range of techniques your osteopath uses will depend on your problem.
Osteopractitioner practices offering a wide range of osteopathic techniques, these include soft tissue massage, stretching techniques, joint mobilisation or manipulation techniques, to help restore and improve movement within joints of the body and spine. Your osteopath can also offer a more gentle technique called cranial osteopathy.
Osteopathy treats a wide range of conditions including neck and back pain, headaches and jaw pain as a result of tension in the neck (cervicogenic headaches) postural problems, caused by driving or work related strains, arthritic pain in the hip, knee and shoulders and minor sports injuries.
Please see below for a few of the complaints and injuries Osteopractitioner can help treat.
- Neck and back pain: including disc problems, trapped nerves, sciatica symptoms
- Headaches, jaw pain as a result of tension in the neck (cervicogenic headaches)
- Postural problems, caused by driving or work related strains
- Arthritic pain, in the hip, knee and shoulders
- Minor sports injuries, such as muscle aches,tendon and ligaments strains or sprains
- Shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist problem, such as frozen shoulder, tennis or golfers elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist
- Foot pain, such as plantarfasciitis
Osteopractitioner: Meet the osteopath:
Emma Clarkson is a member of the General Osteopathic Council, British Osteopathic Association and the Register of Exercise professionals.
As well as being an Osteopath, Emma also has BSc in Sports & Exercise Science and has an extensive background working with athletes, including runners, tri-athletes, tennis players, golfers, cricketers, Rugby players and weightlifters. Emma currently provides Osteopathic support to elite athletes at a high performance centre in Warwickshire, focusing on diagnosing and treating injuries to aid recovery and get them performing optimally.
