If you have no idea what osteopathy is, you’re definitely not alone. When I ask a new client what brings them in, 9 times out of 10 their response is something along the lines of, “I have no idea what you do, but a friend suggested I try treatment for my (insert painful area here).” I get geeky excited when I hear this. It means that someone other than me loves osteopathy so much that they want to share it with the people they care about, and that makes me infinitely happy.
The truth is, the story of how I found osteopathy isn’t all that different from my clients. A friend recommended it, and after I made him spell it out for me I booked an appointment. It was really different than any of the other therapies I'd tried, and the philosophies behind it just made sense. I was so intrigued that I moved to England and started my osteopathy degree 6 months later. The rest is history!
So, what’s all the fuss about? Here are 5 reasons your friends keep telling you to book an appointment.
1. You never feel rushed.
In my practice, I set aside a full hour for consultations and follow-up treatments are a minimum of 40 minutes. This gives you lots of time to tell me your story and describe what you're feeling. It also gives me plenty of time to examine, explain, and treat. I want you to walk away from our sessions with less pain, but I also want to arm you with a better understanding of the root cause of your symptoms and give you tools to manage on your own.
2. It’s not just about bones.
"Osteo-" might mean "bone", but osteopathy is about a lot more than that. I work with the nervous system, muscles, joints, and connective tissues too! All the systems of your body are connected and rely on each other to keep you moving, so it wouldn’t make sense to focus on just one. Treating the body as a connected whole is one of the core principles that makes osteopathic care unique.
3. It’s not just for backs.
Even though treating back pain is often considered our bread and butter, working with the body as a whole means osteopathy can help with almost any musculoskeletal injury. Think head, shoulders, knees, and even toes. I've worked with adults suffering from tennis elbow and hip pain, kids recovering from sports injuries, and babies who need help settling after birth trauma. When their treatments are finished, clients love knowing that I'm here to help whenever a new ache or pain happens.
4. One size doesn’t fit all.
No two clients are the same, so their treatments shouldn’t be either. I explore the links between each individual's structure and function because I believe it's key to unlocking the path to recovery. That's why the treatment and advice I give you will be different than what I give someone else with the same condition. When I focus on treating YOU instead of your symptoms real change happens.
5. It’s so darn relaxing!
It’s not entirely uncommon for clients to fall asleep during their session. I actually take it as a compliment, and I've gotten pretty good at the gentle wake-up nudge. When you feel relaxed I can dial into the part of your nervous system that helps with healing. No judgements here if you sneak in a few zzz's in the process.
There you have it. Now that you know a little more about osteopathy, you can see why your friends and family won't stop talking about it. I might be biased (just slightly), but hopefully you trust your inner circle enough to give it a go next time an injury messes with your plans.