Hands-On
Therapy
What is Osteopathywhat-is-osteopathy
Osteopathic treatment often involves manual therapy – a range of gentle hands-on techniques that focus on releasing tension, stretching muscles and improving mobility – together with exercises and helpful advice designed to help you relieve or manage your pain, keep active and maintain the best of health.
Before an osteopath starts any treatment, they will explain what is involved so you can agree and consent to your course of treatment.
Osteopaths believe in a tailored, whole-person approach to health for people of all ages. They are known for their expertise in the evaluation, diagnosis and management of the entire musculoskeletal system and its relationship with other systems in the body, particularly conditions such as back, neck, joint, muscle and arthritic discomfort.
Osteopaths are regulated by law and recognised as an allied health profession by NHS England. This gives them a similar status to dentists or physiotherapists and guarantees an equivalent high level of care.
Before an osteopath can obtain registration, they must attain specialist degree-level training, either a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) or integrated Masters (MOst.), plus complete over 1000 hours of clinical placements (direct patient contact time).
To maintain their registration with GOsC, which is renewed annually, osteopaths must meet mandatory continuous professional development (CPD): keeping skills and knowledge up-to-date and maintaining high standards of professional development.
By law, an osteopath must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) to practise in the UK.
Professionals
Osteopaths are registered health professionals held to high standards of practice by the government regulated GOsC (General Osteopathic Council) and work closely with other healthcare professionals such as consultants, GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, and other Allied Health Professionals.
Osteopaths believe in a tailored, whole-person approach to health for people of all ages. They are known for their expertise in the evaluation, diagnosis and management of the entire musculoskeletal system and its relationship with other systems in the body, particularly conditions such as back, neck, joint, muscle and arthritic discomfort.