Ultimately, all of the above study the body and your job is to find a practitioner that suits you
If you are in pain and have no idea what to do about it, you’ve taken the right first step. At Infinity, we put a lot into understanding your pain and what your body is going through. After that, we can determine if we can help you, or if you need imaging or a referral to someone else better suited – being a GP or other health practitioner.
Osteopathy isn’t simply about “bones”, which to most people’s credit is where the word “osteo” comes from. We deal with aches and pains throughout the body – including strains, sprains and other injuries. It’s a highly individualised manual therapy that focuses on how the skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, connective tissue and internal organs function as a whole, using stretching, massage, trigger point releases and articulation and manipulation of specific joints and soft tissues as treatment.
Osteopathy is commonly used to treat neck and back pain, sports injuries, headaches, postural issues, pregnancy and post-partum related problems, occupational injuries, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, arthritis, knee and foot pain. In a typical session, an osteopath will take a detailed case history and examine the patient’s body both actively (moving) and passively (assessing and moving joints), and then treat accordingly.
Osteo, Chiro and Physio treat musculoskeletal conditions or problems and some techniques, though each has a different underlying treatment philosophy. The key aspect of osteopathic care is looking at how the whole body functions and works together, from the muscles, bones and ligaments to the nervous system and blood supply. The Chiropractic Association of Australia defines chiropractic as focusing on the relationship between the structure (primarily the spine and pelvis) and function, and how that relationship affects health, while the Australian Physiotherapy Association defines physiotherapy as a profession that assesses, diagnoses, treats through physical means. Physiotherapists look at movement and function, and help patients overcome movement disorders.
Typically it’s how we treat and the core principles behind it which separates the three. Please remember I’m a trained osteopath. No matter what though, you should ask every health practitioner questions – it’s great to have a clear understanding of how your body works.
Thanks to Nature and Health, “Parts of the Whole” (Feb-Mar 2015, p22-23) for the information.