The study of ‘biomechanics’ – how each part of the musculoskeletal system interacts with and influences every other part – is central to osteopathy. Any joint or muscle injury must be treated as part of the whole body, since other parts of the musculoskeletal system will also be affected. For example, an ankle injury may mean that the patient limps and favours the other foot. Over time, this imbalance can lead to other injuries, such as soreness in the other ankle, knee or hip, or perhaps back pain.

Your osteopath can devise a strategy of treatment that takes your whole musculoskeletal system into account. Attention is also given to other systems of the body – such as the circulatory, nervous and lymphatic systems – since these all play significant roles in the healing process.
An osteopath focuses on your whole body, including the soft tissues (such as muscles, ligaments and tendons), the spine and nervous system, and may use a variety of different hands-on methods, including:

Spinal manipulation
Soft tissue massage techniques
Articulation – gentle rhythmic joint movements
Stretching muscles and joint capsules
Muscle energy techniques – encouraging muscles to work against resistance
Visceral manipulation – gentle movement of the abdominal and pelvic areas.

As osteopathic techniques include a gentle approach, they can be suitable for many people, from the newborn to the older person, and for those with complex medical problems.