Osteopathic Principles
As osteopaths, we aim to improve your overall health and wellness. We treat the whole person, not just a single condition or area. Patients come to us for many reasons — from neck and back pain to sports injuries and headaches.
Our assessment and treatment approach follows key osteopathic principles. Read on to learn more about how we take a holistic approach to care!
What Are the Osteopathic Principles?
Osteopathy has four main guiding principles, refined over the last 150 years:
-
The body is a unit; the person is a unit of body, mind, and spirit.
-
The body can self-regulate, self-heal, and maintain health.
-
Structure and function are closely linked.
-
Treatment relies on understanding body unity, self-regulation, and the structure-function relationship.
The Body Is a Unit: Body, Mind, and Spirit
Your health depends on the connection between your body, mind, and spirit. Each part influences the others. When one area suffers, it can cause problems elsewhere. This principle helps us treat you as a whole person, focusing on your overall health rather than only your injury or condition.
The Body Can Self-Regulate, Self-Heal, and Maintain Health
Your natural state is health. When injury or disease strikes, your body compensates, which sometimes causes further issues. Osteopaths work to identify and remove barriers that block your body’s ability to heal itself. For example, chronic stress, poor sleep, unhealthy diet, or repetitive strain can limit your healing. We use manual therapy and lifestyle advice to help your body return to balance.
Structure and Function Are Closely Linked
Your body’s systems—like musculoskeletal and nervous—work together. When structure suffers, function changes, and illness can develop. External and internal factors influence both. We use this principle to guide treatment, helping your body heal, adapt, and regain resilience.
Treatment Based on Understanding Key Principles
We base your treatment on all these principles. By assessing and examining you fully, we provide care tailored to your body’s unity, its self-healing ability, and the link between structure and function.
In Summary
Osteopathy takes a holistic approach. Pain and dysfunction often have multiple causes. We help you identify those causes and give you tools to reverse their effects. While our hands provide treatment, we also offer lifestyle, diet, and exercise advice to keep you well.
